Peterborough United recorded a 5-3 victory over Millwall at the ABAX Stadium following a topsy-turvy encounter.
Sometimes football matches are hard to explain. Sometimes you have to look back and think to yourself, what actually happened there. The facts are this, Posh 5-3 Milwall. The rest would take an age to explain.Graham Westley's men played some incredible attacking football, they defended the aerial ball with difficulty and they could and probably should have scored a goal worthy of a story on it's own.
Jon Taylor netted twice on his return to the starting line-up, Lee Angol continued his fine scoring run while Conor Washington and substitute Chris Forrester both found the target, the latter his second goal in three games.
Millwall were forced into an early substitution with Jimmy Abdou replaced by Ben Thompson following a fairly innocuous challenge in the centre circle.
Steve Morrison scuffed an early shot straight at goalkeeper Ben Alnwick after a low centre into the box by the lively Onyedinma.
Michael Bostwick headed a Jon Taylor free-kick over the crossbar on 10 minutes after Coulibaly was pushed over needlessly by Edwards.
A Maddison free-kick wobbled straight into the arms of Archer after he himself had been felled on the edge of the box.
The deadlock was broken on 16 minutes and the goal had been coming - Jon Taylor's shot struck the post and rebounded kindly for ANGOL who nodded home past Archer and into the back of the net.
It was 2-0 to Posh on 18 minutes and what a stunning strike it was, Jon TAYLOR ran at the heart of the Millwall defence and then fired an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net past the despairing dive of Archer.
A deflected effort from Maddison looped into the hands of Archer on 21 minutes. O'Brien dragged a shot wide of the target at the other end as the visitors tried to settle down after the early setbacks.
Posh were dealt a blow on 29 minutes as goalkeeper Alnwick landed awkwardly following a cross and was forced off the field. Youngster Dion-Curtis Henry the man introduced between the sticks.
Upson whistled a shot inches past the post on 38 minutes as Millwall came close to reducing the arrears.
Maddison fired inches past the far post on 43 minutes from fully 30-yards with goalkeeper Archer getting nowhere near it had the effort been on target.
As the first half moved into five minutes of added time, right-back Smith fired wide from 25-yards after a short corner kick routine. The experienced Morrison powered a header over before Washington dragged a shot wide of the target after a glorious ball from Maddison.
Posh made a change at the interval with Chris Forrester replacing Coulibaly. Williams glanced a header wide from a corner kick early in the second half as Posh had a lucky escape.
The visitors halved the deficit on 52 minutes as a corner from the right was powered past Henry by Byron WEBSTER who's header was firm and true and into the back of the net.
Three minutes later and the visitors were level, another header, this time at the back post from open play, CRAIG heading home from close-range after a whipped Edwards cross into the box.
This topsy turvy encounter took another twist on 68 minutes as Maddison, Smith and Washington all combined to create an opportunity for FORRESTER, who fired home past the outstretched arms of Archer
On 72 minutes, Posh made it 4-2 and again Marcus Maddison can claim an assist, his superb pass picked out WASHINGTON who took a touch and fired past goalkeeper Archer clinically.
However, moments later, the visitors reduced the arrears again, another corner and another header, this time BEEVERS finding the back of the net as Posh struggled to contain the Lions aerially.
Williams was cautioned for fouling Angol on 76 minutes, but Bostwick's free-kick was wild and went miles wide. Substitute Gregory fired over off balance after a patient Lions build-up two minutes later.
Williams fired just past the upright moments later as Posh failed to clear a ball into the box.
On 81 minutes, Posh made it 5-3 and it was a second of the game for Jon TAYLOR who cut inside and fired an unstoppable shot past Archer and into the back of the net.
Taylor was immediately replaced by Jack Collison as Posh tried to sure up this contest. Beevers fired over from long-range as Millwall pressed as the game entered the final few minutes.
Henry denied Gregory before the fourth official indicated a mammoth eight minutes of injury time. O'Brien was booked for bringing down Angol before Maddison saw a free-kick beaten away for a corner by Archer.
Williams smashed the bar with his left-foot before Posh nearly scored the goal of the game by a miles, Maddison, Washington and Angol all involved, the latter denied by the legs of Archer.
Posh: Alnwick (sub Henry 29min), Smith, Zakuani, Taylor (sub Collison 82min), Maddison, Bostwick, Almeida Santos, Washington, Angol, Coulibaly (sub Forrester 46min), Elder. Unused subs: Davey, Fox, H. Anderson, Da Silva Lopes.
Millwall: Archer, Edwards, Craig, Williams, Upson (sub Ferguson 61min), Onyedinma, Beevers, Webster, Morrison, O'Brien, Abdou (sub Thompson 4min). Unused subs: Forde, Martin, Gregory, Martin, Marquis.
Half-time: Peterborough United 2-0 Millwall
Full-time: Peterborough United 5-3 Millwall
Attendance: 6,402 (1,219 Millwall fans)