With Craig Mackail-Smith expected to miss the opening day clash at Derby County, Shaun Batt staked his claim for a first team spot with an impressive performance at Stevenage Borough, which was capped by a fine goal.
Posh nearly made the perfect start to proceedings at the Lamex Stadium as Tommy Rowe found time and space in the box, but his shot was easily saved by Ashely Bayes after Posh had cut open the Stevenage defence within the first 60 seconds.
Goalkeeper Joe Lewis made a comfortable stop to deny Lee Boylan as the home side registered their first effort on goal. Posh opened the scoring on 15 minutes and it was a glorious finish from Shaun BATT, who anticipated a raking pass from Paul Coutts and superbly lobbed advancing goalkeeper Bayes with his weaker left-foot.
Charlie Lee headed a Tommy Rowe corner kick over the crossbar on 25 minutes as Posh continued to pile on the pressure before Gabriel Zakuani did well at the other end to clear under pressure from Lee Boylan before Yemi Odubade fired an ambitious volley wide of the target.
Scottish midfield man Coutts saw a tame effort saved by Bayes on the half hour mark after good hold-up play from Batt. Manager Darren Ferguson kept faith with his starting line-up for the second period, but he would be looking for more from his team who huffed and puffed in the first 45 minutes without too much quality.
Michael Bostwick fired just wide of the upright from 30-yards on 52 minutes as Stevenage mounted the first serious attack of the second period. Posh responded well though with Boyd delivering a neat lay-off into the path of Mclean, whose low shot was well saved by Bayes.
Mclean was denied again by the Stevenage shot-stopper moments later, this time the goalkeeper diving to his left to parry the effort around the post. There was certainly more energy to the Posh attack in the second period with Batt the next to be denied by Bayes, although the shot may have been going wide of the near post.
Lee was inches away from making it 2-0 after bursting into the box, but his low drive rolled past the far post with the goalkeeper well beaten. Boyd fired over from 20-yards after showing some good skill on the ball before Posh made their first change with Romone McRae handed his debut - the ex-Crawley midfielder replacing Diagouraga. Williams then limped out of the action to be replaced by Russell Martin.
Byron then tested Lewis from long-range, with the goalkeeper using all of his frame to tip the ball over the crossbar. Full-back Lawrence Wilson nearly capped a fine Stevenage move with a goal on 70 minutes, but he was leaning back when he struck the ball and his volley cleared the crossbar.
Lewis made a superb double-save to deny Stacy Long and then David Bridges as the hosts stepped up their game. McCrae showed no signs of nerves, flicking the ball over Bridges before lashing a volley wide of the target as the game entered the final 15 minutes.
Joe Lewis was the victim of a shocking challenge from former Cambridge front man Lee Boylan who led with both feet as the ball ran loose on the edge of the area. He was cautioned by the referee Mr Hill.
Darren Ferguson's men doubled their lead on 80 minutes as LEE let fly from fully 30-yards with the ball nestling in the top corner of the net past the despairing dive of Bayes. Boyd was denied a goal on his return to the Lamex Stadium by a fine Bayes save before Green saw a shot blocked by Roberts.
Stevenage: Bayes, Wilson (sub Odhiambo 75min), Laird, Ashton (sub Byron 46min), Long (sub Doyle 81min), Boylan (sub Vincenti 85min), Odubade (sub Henry 46min), Roberts, Bridges, Bostwick (sub Albrighton 67min), Cole (sub Beardsley 16min, sub Griffin 72min).
Posh: Lewis, Lee, Williams (sub Martin 65min), Zakuani, Pearce, Coutts, Batt (sub Mills 84min), Diagouraga (sub McCrae 62min), Mclean, Boyd, Rowe (sub Green 68min). Unused subs: McKeown, Day, Frecklington, Crook, Wright, Gaughran.
