Peterborough United vs Bristol Rovers

Posh welcome Bristol Rovers to the Weston Homes Stadium on Saturday (3pm).

Peterborough United return to action on Saturday afternoon with the Emirates FA Cup third round tie with Bristol Rovers at the Weston Homes Stadium set to go ahead as planned (3pm) as both teams end their long-awaited exile from competitive action, which saw multiple fixtures for both clubs postponed over the festive period due to Covid-19.

Whilst Posh have had a near clean bill of health and lost fixtures due to outbreaks in the opposing squads, the Pirates have themselves struggled with the virus and injuries and had many of their matches called off including their most recent scheduled fixture against Leyton Orient, which was cancelled on the day.

In the FA Cup, there are slightly different rules, which means any registered player (including under 18s) are available for selection and if a team declares they cannot play the game, they will in essence forfeit the fixture with the opposing team progressing into the fourth round of the competition.

TEAM NEWS

Posh completed the loan signing of Bali Mumba from Premier League side Norwich City on Thursday morning, with the full-back agreeing a loan switch until the end of the campaign. Mumba will go straight into the squad. Dan Butler has been ruled out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury while Jack Marriott and Joel Randall have been ruled of this fixture. Ricky-Jade Jones does return to the squad after a long injury lay-off. Joe Taylor is cup-tied.

Joe Ward, who tested positive for Covid-19 over the New Year period, is back in the squad too and available for selection. Rovers signed Scunthorpe striker Ryan Loft earlier in the January transfer window, but he can’t play after featuring in the competition for the Iron.

FROM THE GAFFER

“It has been a frustrating time without a game over the festive and New Year period, but you have to adapt, both in terms of the training sessions but also in terms of the preparation. Both teams haven’t played a competitive game for a while and make no mistake, Bristol Rovers have got some good players and experience in key areas. We want to banish the memory of last season when we were beaten by Chorley. We know we have to play well to win. This competition is important to us, we want to progress for the financial reasons, but also because it will give us momentum going into a run of Championship fixtures in a short space of time,” Ferguson said.

“It has been a frustrating time without a game over the festive and New Year period, but you have to adapt, both in terms of the training sessions but also in terms of the preparation.

TICKET NEWS

Tickets are on sale at www.theposhtickets.com and via the Weston Homes Stadium Box Office. The Deskgo Stand is closed for this fixture with Bristol Rovers fans accommodated in the away section of the North Stand.

Tickets are cheaper for season ticket holders with adult tickets available priced at £13. A full list of the prices can be found here:

Season Ticket Holders (In Advance)

Adults: £13

Seniors/U22s: £8

U18s: £3

In Advance (non STHs)

Adults: £15

Seniors/U22s: £10

U18s: £5

Match Day (general sale)

Adults: £20

Seniors/U22s: £15

U18s: £5

Season ticket holders in the Executive Suite can purchase a ticket for £15 for adults with seniors/under 22s tickets priced at £10. This includes a match day programme. Non season-ticket holder Executive Suite members can purchase tickets for £20 for adults and £15 for seniors/under 22s, which also includes a match day programme. Season ticket holders seats are reserved until 5pm on Friday 7th January.

Season ticket holders can view your reserved seat(s) here.

https://www.eticketing.co.uk/theposh/MyAccount/ReservedSeats

Bristol Rovers have sold 400 tickets so far for the game.

COMPETITION RULES

If the tie is level after 90 minutes, it will go into 30 minutes of extra time with penalties if required. There are no replays at this stage in the competition.

VACCINE PASSPORTS

The club can confirm that no vaccine passport certification will be required for supporters attending this fixture. The club would like to reiterate that face masks MUST be worn within the concourse areas of the stadium and also in the Club Shop. We would also like to advise supporters to be considerate of others and their decisions within the stadium.

MAN IN THE MIDDLE

The match referee is Andy Davies.

Bali Mumba came off the bench to score the winner on his debut to send Posh into round four.

Peterborough United moved into round four of the Emirates FA Cup after new signing Bali Mumba came off the substitutes bench to put in a debut to remember, capped with the winning goal as Bristol Rovers were beaten 2-1 at the Weston Homes Stadium.

Inside the opening two minutes, Posh created a decent opportunity to break the deadlock as a scooped pass from Ronnie Edwards found Jack Taylor, he in turn, fed Sammie Szmodics, but his shot on the turn went wide of the target.

At the other end, a quickly-taken free-kick caught Posh cold as a low centre was diverted towards goal by both Edwards and a retreating Knight before Cornell pounced on the loose ball. Thompson was expertly denied by Belshaw on 16 minutes after a fine piece of Posh play with Knight and Tomlinson both playing their part with raking passes.

The breakthrough came on 20 minutes and it was a bit of a nightmare for keeper James Belshaw who failed to make any connection to a lofted ball forward by Oliver Norburn allowing Sammie SZMODICS to tap into an empty net.

Harrison Burrows tested goalkeeper James Belshaw with a fierce curling left-footed effort on 25 minutes, however, moments later, a clipped ball into the channel lured Dai Cornell out and the referee’s assistant waved his flag to instruct the referee to award a rather soft penalty kick for a clip on Evans.

Former Posh midfielder Paul COUTTS stepped up and sent Cornell the wrong way from the spot to draw the visitors level at 1-1. Darren Ferguson made a change at the break with new signing Bali Mumba replacing Tomlinson at left-back.

Dembele was within a whisker of giving Posh the lead on 48 minutes as he let fly from the edge of the box, but his shot went wide of the post. Belshaw made another brave stop to keep out a close-range effort from Jorge Grant as Posh pressed to try and get the third goal of the game.

Posh got themselves back in front on 62 minutes and on debut, it was a superb way to introduce himself for Bali MUMBA, quick feet, a neat one two and a very composed finish into the bottom corner.

It should have been 3-1 moments later as Dembele picked out Szmodics at the back post, but his clipped effort was smothered by keeper Belshaw. Grant saw a low effort smothered by Belshaw as Posh pushed for a third on 70 minutes.

Szmodics was again denied by Belshaw on 76 minutes after Grant won the ball in the penalty area. Norburn was cautioned by referee Andy Davies moments later, the first player in the game to be booked.

Szmodics had another opportunity to make it 3-1 as he raced clear on the counter attack but with just the keeper to beat, he side-footed wide. On 88 minutes, Zain Westbrooke curled a shot inches past the post as the home faithful took a large intake of breath.

Posh: Cornell, Thompson, Edwards, Knight, Tomlinson (sub Mumba 46min), Norburn, Taylor, Grant, Burrows (sub Clarke-Harris 87min), Dembele (sub Jones 90min), Szmodics. Unused subs: Blackmore, Kent, Corbett, Ward, Barker, Harris.

Bristol Rovers: Belshaw, Connolly, Thomas, Westbrooke, Nicholson, Coutts, Anderton, Clarke (sub Jones 63min), Evans, Spence (sub Pitman 67min), Hoole. Unused subs: Ward, Martinez, Lawrence, Vaughan, Sesay.

Half-time: Peterborough United 1-1 Bristol Rovers
Full-time: Peterborough United 2-1 Bristol Rovers
Referee: Andy Davies
Attendance: 4,937 (483 Bristol Rovers fans)