Posh 2 Leicester 0

Posh made it six wins out of six, in inclement conditions, with a fine win over the league leaders courtesy of goals from Charlie Lee and Chris Whelpdale.

For the fixture, Darren Ferguson restored Gabriel Zakunai to the back-line partnering Charlie Lee in the heart of the defence. The starting eleven,

Lewis, Martin, Lee, Zakuani, Williams, Whelpdale, Keates, Coutts, Boyd, McLean and Mackail-Smith

had a familiar look to it. On the bench there was adequate defensive cover in the shape of Blackett and Westwood with attacking flair from Torres and Batt. The fifth substitute being the rookie keeper, McKeown.

The visitors, shorn of Howard, King and Cleverly still had a formidable looking eleven to start with. Up front was their top scorer Fryatt partnered by the feisty Dickov. The ex-Manchester City, Arsenal and Blackburn player coming back after a long injury lay-off.

With no Premier League action today, Chris Foy was making a rare appearance at London Road in his role as a referee.

With a heavy shower minutes before the game the pitch had a greasy fell to it suitable for moving the ball around quickly.

Leicester got the action underway playing into a strong wind. The opening exchanges were scrappy. Dyer was penalised for handball and the free kick, taken by Keates, was delivered into the box from a dangerous position, sadly went straight to Warner in the Leicester goal with no Posh player putting the keeper under any pressure.

A little confusion in the Leicester defence saw Warner crash a defensive clearance against his own defender but the wind was making things difficult for both sides to get their rhythm going. McLean skipped past Kisnorbo but his cross was poor and any opportunity had passed.

Williams then saw a cross carried over the bar by the wind after a spell of pressure form Leicester had started to create problems for Posh. Lewis was then forced to save from Gradel as the Leicester player tried to curl a ball into the net. Play was then interrupted with Maddock, of Leicester picking up a knock.

Mackail-Smith then executed a great turn and from twenty-five yards his shot went wide. Approaching the twenty minute mark, shots on target had been very scarce. Noticeably, as well, the wind was starting to drop. Dickov after a heavy challenge from Zakuani, left Dickov lying in a heap on the London Road pitch, much to the disgust of the Leicester player, Nigel Pearson.

Dyer fired over from an acute angle much to the delight of the Posh supporters. Posh forced their first corner after twenty-five minutes courtesy of Mattock who should have done better. Gilbert retrieved the situation though clearing his ranks. Leicester then forced a corner of their own with matters held up thanks to a bout of handbags at ten paces in the area, thankfully McLean defended well to clear the danger.

Boyd had a shot saved after he skipped past Hobbs. Lee then carried out a great interception, burst out of defence and was then ruthlessly hacked down by Berner who received the first yellow card of the game. Warner then received a yellow card for time wasting as half time approached. Lee was then cautioned for a foul on Fryatt.

Oakley then fired a shot wide as both teams struggled to create a clear cut chance. Posh then won a second corner of the game as the rain started to fall, or was it snow? Unfortunately the corner was to end up on top of the net. Posh then forced another corner, this time taken by Coutts as opposed to Keates, Leicester cleared but the ball fell to Charlie Lee who struck the ball magnificently, into the top corner of the net, to opening the scoring in the fixture.

Chants of,

“We are going up, we are going up, we are going up”

echoed around London Road. Good work from Boyd then earned Posh another corner, deep into stoppage time. Warner flapped at the ball but Berner cleared just as the half time whistle blew. 1-0 to Posh and a job half done!

Half time – Peterborough 1 Leicester 0

Posh got the second half underway with no changes made to either starting eleven. Mackail-Smith forced an early corner which saw a Lee header go wide. Mackail-Smith, less than a minute later won another corner, but once again the visiting defence cleared. In a pinball scenario, Posh peppered the six-yard box but nobody could get that crucial touch as Keates and Boyd both delivered dangerous balls in.

Mackail-Smith then had a good opportunity to double the lead, after leaving Kisnorbo for dead, but his shot hit the side-netting. Leicester were struggling to cope with the Posh pressure in the early stages of the half. Lee then took an elbow from Fryatt that Chris Foy didn`t see. Posh were exerting some great pressure and it looked only a matter of time before Leicester would concede that second goal.

Fryatt bursting out saw Lee execute a great tackle as Leicester launched a rare excursion up field. The visitors then won a corner, courtesy of Zakuani, delivered by Oakley that came to nothing. As the hour mark approached Leicester made the first change of the game introducing Hayles in place of Berner, a striker for a midfield player.

Posh were then forced to defend resolutely to deny Dickov. After the early second half Posh domination Leicester were now looking the better side. Lewis then had to smartly save a chip from Dickov. With the action switching to the other end, McLean played Mackail-Smith through but his shot drifted past the post.

Chris Foy then sent Darren Ferguson to the stands after his attention was caught by the fourth official, strangely enough, the Leicester manager, Nigel Pearson, seemed to be pleading for Darren. Posh then forced their 7th corner of the game, Coutts took it and Warner produced a great save from a McLean header.

Gradel then produced a teasing cross that Hayles headed over the Posh bar under great pressure from Lee. Leicester then replaced Dyer with Adams with twenty minutes to go. Gilbert and Dickov (team mates) then had a minor scuffle in their own area. Gradel then hacked down Martin and the offender was rightly shown a yellow card.

From the resulting free kick Keates hit the cross bar sparking off another melee in the area that could have produced that vital second goal. With fifteen minutes to go, the old nerves were starting to tingle.

Thankfully, they were eased a little as Mackail-Smith sped down the left flank, away from Hobbs, drilled a ball to Chris Whelpdale who smashes it home from twelve yards out, 2-0 to Posh!

Cue more cries of,

“We are going up, we are going up, we are going up”

Leicester won a corner and Posh heaved a sigh of relief when Kisnorbo headed wide from eight yards.

The home supports started to increase the noise as Posh looked like closing that gap on the leaders to four points. Leicester then had another chance after Lewis misjudged the flight of the ball but McLean was on hand to clear. Adams then fired over as Leicester desperately tried to get back into the game.

Grade then won a corner but Martin cleared the danger as time began to run down. Fryatt headed wide as the game approached five minutes of stoppage time. In an attempt to eat into the stoppage time Batt was introduced in place of Mackail-Smith who can be well pleased with his efforts, especially in the second half.

Hayles received Leicester`s fourth yellow card of the day for a foul on Zakuani before Chris Foy called proceedings to a halt with the final whistle.

All together now,

“We are going up, we are going up, we are going up”

Six wins out of six really is promotion form.