Posh will head to Hillsborough in the second leg of the play-offs with a lead after an almost perfect night at the Weston Homes Stadium.
It is half-time in the tie, but Peterborough United have put themselves in a strong position after a wonderful night at the Weston Homes Stadium that saw Darren Ferguson’s men run out 4-0 winners over Sheffield Wednesday in front of a packed crowd.
Will Norris produced a superb one-handed save to keep out Michael Smith on seven minutes after a mistake from Oliver Norburn as the visitors made a lively start. Frankie Kent was cautioned for a foul after a needless waste of possession by Jack Taylor in midfield.
From the resulting set-piece, Josh Windass fired into the wall and sent the rebound wide of the target. The deadlock was broken on 21 minutes and it goes down as a goalkeeping error from Cameron Dawson, who allowed a shot from Jack TAYLOR to squirm through his grasp and into the back of the net.
Callum Paterson sent a shot way over the crossbar on 25 minutes after initially doing well to create a bit of space. Posh doubled the lead on 37 minutes and what a moment for Joe WARD, his superb strike took a slight deflection and cannoned into the back of the net via the underside of the crossbar.
Norris produced another big save on 41 minutes as Windass got in behind the Posh back-line, but his goalbound effort was diverted wide of the target by the on-loan shot-stopper. Ihiekwe headed wide from a Bannan free-kick but moments later, it was 3-0 to Darren Ferguson’s men as a delightful cross from Mason-Clark picked out POKU and he made no mistake at the back post.
Flint and Ihiekwe were both cautioned for fouls on Mason-Clark and Poku respectively as Posh continued to press. Clarke-Harris powered a header over from a Burrows centre on 55 minutes. The Owls made their first change just before the hour mark with Lee Gregory replacing Paterson.
Kent cleared off the line from an Ihiekwe effort after Norris could only get a hand to a looped cross into the box by Vaulks. Taylor was well placed to clear as the aerial bombardment continued with the Owls piling bodies forward.
Posh made it 4-0 on 81 minutes, first Jack Taylor who hit the post and then the midfielder stood up a lovely cross for CLARKE-HARRIS who powered home a header at the far post. Poku had a chance to make it five in stoppage time but his effort was repelled by Dawson.
Posh: Norris, Edwards, Kent, Burrows, Ward, Taylor, Kyprianou, Norburn, Poku, Mason-Clark (sub Jones 88min), Clarke-Harris. Unused subs: Blackmore, Knight, Tshimanga, Butler, B. Thompson, Randall.
Sheffield Wednesday: Dawson, Palmer, Vaulks, Iorfa, Bannan, Windass, Paterson (sub Gregory 58min), Johnson, Ihiekwe (sub James 85min), Smith (sub Adeniran 61min), Flint. Unused subs: Stockdale, Dele Bashiru, Bakinson, Hunt.
Half-time: Peterborough United 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Full-time: Peterborough United 4-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Attendance: 12,965 (2,348 Sheffield Wednesday fans)
Referee: Anthony Backhouse