A deflected strike from a substitute condemned Posh to a 1-0 defeat at Bolton Wanderers.
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Peterborough United’s luck continued to desert them as a late strike from substitute Dapo Afolayan took a huge deflection to find the back of the net and give hosts Bolton Wanderers a 1-0 victory in League One action.
It was a bright start from Grant McCann’s men, forcing early corners in succession and causing one or two problems particularly down the left-hand side with Ricky-Jade Jones heavily involved. Posh were continuing to play the better stuff as the 20 minute was reached, with a low cross from Nathan Thompson taken off the toe of namesake Ben just as he was about to strike at goal from 12-yards.
Midfielder Jeando Fuchs was cautioned for a foul on Kyle Dempsey on 24 minutes as the home side tried to launch a counter attack after being penned back for a sustained period of time by Posh. Jack Iredale was booked for a late foul on Nathan Thompson just in front of the dugouts as things began to get tetchy as the half entered its final 10 minutes.
Ben Thompson lashed a shot wide of the target from 25-yards after a neat turn on 37 minutes after a quickly taken free-kick from Posh caught the visitors napping. On 40 minutes, the hosts carved out their first chance of the game as a clever pass sent Conor Bradley into space, but from an acute angle, he lifted his shot over the crossbar.
On the stroke of half-time, Jones struck the post with a long-range header before Johnston and Knight were both cautioned, the latter for absolutely no apparent reason at all. Bergström produced a stunning stop to keep out Iredale two minutes into the second half as the hosts took advantage of a numerical advantage with Nathan Thompson down on his haunches.
Dion Charles was superbly denied by Bergström on 52 minutes as the hosts countered at pace following a cleared corner from Posh. McCann made a double change on the hour mark with Ephron Mason-Clark and Joe Ward replaces Jones and Poku.
On 86 minutes, the hosts opened the scoring as a shot from AFOLAYAN took a huge deflection and looped into the other corner.
Bolton: Trafford, Santos, Jones, Charles (sub Bakayoko 81min), Thomason, Johnstone, Iredale (sub Sadlier 77min), Williams, Bradley, Dempsey (sub Afolayan 70min), Kachunga (sub Bodvarsson 69min). Unused subs: Aimson, Morley, Lee.
Posh: Bergström, N. Thompson, Knight, Edwards, Burrows, Fuchs (sub Marriott 88min), Taylor (sub Kyprianou 88min), B. Thompson, Poku (sub Mason-Clark 60min), Jones (sub Ward 60min), Clarke-Harris. Unused subs: Blackmore, Kent, Tomlinson.
Referee: Carl Brook
Half-time: Bolton Wanderers 0-0 Peterborough United
Full-time: Bolton Wanderers 1-0 Peterborough United
Attendance: 17,016 (618 Posh fans)