Vital Posh looks at the latest news coming out of Peterborough United over the past week and also what their rival teams in League One are up to
Vital Posh looks at the latest news coming out of Peterborough United over the past week and also what their rival teams in League One are up to.
THE ORIENT EXPRESS CONTINUES
Posh sadly failed for the first time ever to reach the Play-Off Final when going down 3-2 on aggregate to Leyton Orient.
Overall, the O`s were the better side and deserved to get to the Wembley final but it finished off a disappointing season for Posh who failed in their main aim of gaining promotion back to the Championship at the first attempt.
The first leg finished on a knife edge tied at 1-1 after Posh had taken a first half lead through Britt Assombalonga who scored his 33rd and last goal of the season.
The O`s upped the pace in the second half and took the game to Posh and eventually got a deserved equaliser through Moses Odubajo.
It was everything to play for going into the second leg and it was the O`s that nearly snatched a very early lead before Bobby Olejnik thwarted the home side. Posh eventually got a foot-hold of the match and started to control the midfield but they lacked the quality to open up the O`s.
Posh were presented with a number of 3-on-3 chances but chose the wrong option everytime which ultimately proved very costly.
The O`s again upped things in the second half while a number of Posh players started disappearing which swung the game towards the home side and they gratefully took the lead from a freekick on the edge of the box. Dean Cox blasted the ball goalwards which hit the chest of Jack Baldwin. Unfortunately for Posh the ball rebounded straight back to Cox who took a swing at it to fire the ball in to the goal.
Changes were needed for Posh if they were to get back in to the game but sadly Darren Ferguson failed to respond quickly enough. It was only after he did make changes that Posh started to press more but with Posh pressing so high up the pitch it allowed the speedy Shaun Batt to tear away down the right, skipping past Craig Alcock, who is no slouch himself, before playing the ball to substitute Chris Dagnall to notch his 100th career goal.
Two-nil down with two minutes remaining many players would`ve given up at that point but Posh still pressed and finally got their one and only shot on target in the whole game. Substitute Conor Washington caught the keeper wrong-footed to hit the back of the net to leave nerves jangling and it was Posh who nearly scored with the final touch of the game. A deep corner to the back post found Craig Alcock but sadly he caught the ball with his knee and saw the ball fly over the bar from six-yards out.
PLAYER RETAINED LIST
Hot on the heels of the play-off defeat, Darren Ferguson is today meeting with Chairman Darragh MacAnthony to discuss the list of retained players and the ones that will be released or put on the transfer list.
There are a lot of players who are out of contract this summer at Posh so there could be quite a few players on the released list.
With the reduced income at League One level and having failed to get back to the Championship, it will be interesting to see how Posh will go about the squad re-build and what finances/limitations we are working to.
Will Posh push the boat out again to get back to the Championship or will we look to steady the ship and re-build the squad gradually and within the budget constraints of having 6,000 fans turn up each week?
POSH WIN FAMILY EXCELLENCE AWARD
Posh have, along with 47 other clubs, been awarded to 2014 Family Excellence Award.
The Award, created in 2007, recognises the outstanding experience provided by clubs for young fans and families as part of a scheme that won the Gold Award at the European Professional Football Leagues` Best Practice Awards, earlier this season.
In announcing the successful clubs, Football League Chief Executive, Shaun Harvey, said: ‘The Football League Family Excellence Award provides clubs with a benchmark in their efforts to attract families through their gates.
‘It is hugely encouraging to see so many clubs receiving the accolade, demonstrating The Football League`s commitment to securing the next generation of fans.’
APRIL PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Voting has closed to find the April Player of the Month.
Posh won five of their seven matches scoring 13 goals along the way while suffering defeat at the hands of Wolves and Bradford City.
The month also saw the emergence of striker Conor Washington who prior to the month had had a lean spell in front of goal since signing from Newport County. It was his constant running and scoring achievements that won him this accolade for the first time.
Young left-back Kgosi Ntlhe was second while Mark Little was third in the voting.
APRIL GOAL OF THE MONTH
Voting for the April Goal of the Month closes this Friday.
Posh struck 13 goals in their seven League games in April with seven of those up for nominations to find out the goal of the month.
What was your goal of the month?
Results will be announced on Friday.
MAN OF THE MATCH AWARDS
The Vital Posh Man of the Match award for the last Sky Bet League One match of the season against Port Vale has been announced:
| May Man of the Match Results | ||||||
| Date | Opposition | H/A | Score | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| 03/05/2014 | Port Vale | A | 0 – 0 |  |
 |
 |
Voting for the Man of the Match awards for the Play-Off matches against Leyton Orient is open until noon on Saturday [17th May] for the first-leg and until noon on Tuesday [20th May] for the second-leg.
You can also take part in rating how well the referees performed in the matches. Vote for how well Graham Salisbury did in the first-leg at London Road HERE and how well Mick Russell did in the second-leg at Brisbane Road HERE.
LEAGUE ONE ROUND-UP
Leyton Orient have made it to the Play-Off Final but they don`t know who their opponents will be yet. Preston North End and Rotherham United played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg with the second leg taking place tomorrow night.
Perennial Posh target Luke Freeman has had his contract extended by 12-months. He triggered the extension clause which means Stevenage will have his services again next season in League Two unless a bid comes in that they can`t refuse.
More clubs have been announcing their list of players to depart with the latest club being Shrewsbury Town. The Shrews were relegated from League One but have since announced a new manager as well as releasing seven players.
League One will have an interest in this years World Cup after Preston North End defender Bailey Wright and Massimo Luongo, from Swindon Town, were both named in a provisional 30-man squad by Australia.
UP THE POSH
Photos courtesy of www.theposhpics.com
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