Posh entertained West Brom in a FA Cup third round replay tonight. The reward for the winners would be a home tie against either Queens Park Rangers or Burnley.
Sadly it was to be West Brom that were to progress to the fourth round.
Posh entered the tie with what looked like, on paper, their strongest available eleven. Tom Williams was risked at left back, despite his dodgy knee and Darren Ferguson would have been hoping that his strike duo of Mackail-Smith and McLean would be able to inflict some damage on the Premier League side.
Starting for the visitors was Jay Simpson who had been tracked by Posh for ages until they lost out on a loan to the Premier League strugglers.
With the kick-off delayed, due to people congestion outside London Road, there was ample time to ponder just how the night`s events would turn out. In the end 10,735 was to be the official ttendance.
The early exchanges saw West Brom on top. Lewis saved from Teixeira and Barnett headed wide. The first effort from Posh saw Charlie Lee drag an effort just wide just before the ten minute mark. Lewis was then called into action to save a Koran shot as the action switched from end to end.
With seventeen minutes gone something we dreaded, but deep down knew might happen did. Jay Simpson opened the scoring when he scored from long range to give the Premier League side the lead.
Posh responded with Mackail -Smith testing Scott Carson from distance. However, West Brom continued to look dangerous and Zakuani, Morgan and Williams were all forced to clear dangerous looking crosses. West Brom were having more of the possession.
Lewis was then forced to save from Bednar as the visitors looked to go two goals up and possibly put the tie out of our reach. Sadly, that second goal wasn`t long in coming and with thirty-six minutes on the clock our cup dreams looked all but over when Robinson forced home a Kim cross after Posh had failed to clear their lines
On the stroke of half time Bednar tried to add a third for West Brom but his shot cleared the bar with ease. Mackail-Smith tried to get us back into the game but his effort skewed wide of the post. In first half stoppage time Martin and Whelpdale tried to force the issue but were denied by the West Brom defence.
2-0 down at half time and a mountain to climb!
Neither side made any changes for the start of the second half. The first serious action saw Carson cut out a Boyd cross as Posh looked to get back into the game. West Brom continued to force Posh back and a Bednar header went just wide of the post. Lewis was then forced to save form Teixeira as West Brom continued to look dangerous.
Bednar then fired wide from outside of the area but with thirty minutes to go West Brom were holding all the aces. Lee saw Carson save his shot and you started to lose hope that Posh could get back into the game. Lee then saw Carson save his shot after Keates had delivered a corner into the danger area.
As time began to run out McLean had two efforts that went wide of the post. Mackail-Smith also failed to hit the target and it looked very much as if Posh would be exiting the cup and that`s how it turned out be.
A gallant effort by Posh but not quite enough to trouble West Brom.
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