Two goals inside the opening 20 minutes secured three vital points for Cheltenham Town against a much-changed Posh XI. 

Peterborough United made seven changes to the starting line-up and handed a first league start to Harley Mills, but two goals inside the opening 20 minutes ultimately proved costly for Darren Ferguson's men at the Completely Suzuki Stadium. 

Only James Dornelly, Jonson Clarke-Harris, Malik Mothersille and Ricky-Jade Jones were in the XI that overcame Bristol Rovers at the weekend.

It was the home side who flew out of the traps and they had the ball in the back of the net inside the opening six minutes but the referee spotted a foul on Romoney Crichlow. 

On nine minutes, the Robins opened the scoring as NUTTALL tapped home from close-range after Bilokapic could only parry a stinging drive from Sercombe.

On 20 minutes, the Robins doubled their lead as Matty TAYLOR found the back of the net after being afforded plenty of time in the box. 

David Ajiboye fired over at the other end from the edge of the penalty area before the home side hit the post after Taylor's sharp turn and shot.

Bilokapic did well to push a low drive from Bonds around the post before Posh created a clear opportunity as Clarke-Harris and Jones combined to send the latter clear down the left, but with Mothersille in the box, he fired wide of the far post.

Bilokapic produced two saves inside the opening two minutes of the second half to deny Taylor and then Nuttall before keeping out Kinsella with his legs.

On 57 minutes, Mothersille did well to cut inside from the left and pick out Clarke-Harris, he took a good first touch but saw his strike pushed wide by Southwood. 

Eight minutes from time, a delightful cross from Mills was met by a powerful Clarke-Harris header, but again Southwood produced a fine stop. Sercombe was denied by Bilokapic in stoppage time before the final whistle was blown.

Cheltenham: Southwood, Long, Davies, Freestone (sub Bradbury 85min), Kinsella, Ferry (sub Williams 90min), Bonds, Pett, Sercombe (sub Olayinka 90min), Nuttall, Taylor (sub Thomas 78min). Unused subs: Paddington, Harrop, Obeiri.

Posh: Bilokapic, Dornelly (sub Wakeling 72min), Mills, Fernandez, Crichlow, De Havilland (sub O’Connell 51min) , Katongo, Jones (sub Aderoju 56min), Mothersille, Clarke-Harris, Ajiboye. Unused subs: Talley, Kyprianou, O-Brien-Brady, Daley-Campbell. 

Half-time: Cheltenham Town 2-0 Posh
Full-time:Cheltenham Town 2-0 Posh
Attendance: 3,873 (309 Posh fans)
Referee: Ed Duckworth