Posh were beaten 3-1 on penalty kicks by Mansfield Town as Darren Ferguson’s men bowed out of the Carabao Cup.
After two successive penalty shoot-out successes, it was third time unlucky for Peterborough United as Christy Pym was the Mansfield Town hero, twice saving from 12-yards as Posh were made to pay for dominance in the 90 minutes.
It was a lively start to the game for Darren Ferguson’s men and inside the opening two minutes, it was as close as you are going to get to an opening goal, Ricky-Jade Jones delivering a low centre to Jonson Clarke-Harris, who saw his powerful left-footed effort cleared off the line.
However, it was the hosts who got themselves in front as Archie Collins was penalised for a trip in the box and Will SWAN sent the penalty straight down the middle. The former Exeter City man was shown a yellow card for the offence.
Harrison Burrows sent a shot wide of the target moments later as Posh continued to cause problems at the other end of the pitch. George Maris fired wide of the near post on eight minutes as Posh were left wide open in their own penalty box.
Mason-Clark saw an effort on the turn clear the crossbar on 12 minutes as Posh continued to find pockets of space in dangerous areas. Christy Pym produced a fine stop to keep out a low effort from Mason-Clark after a glorious pass from Kyprianou on 18 minutes, the former Posh shot-stopper doing well to divert the shot around the post.
James Gale headed wide of the target from a right-wing delivery at the other end as the Stags demonstrated they are carrying a threat. Jones saw a shot claimed by Pym at the back post after a deep Poku cross on 28 minutes. Louis Reed was booked for a foul on Mason-Clark moments later and from the resulting free-kick, CLARKE-HARRIS sent a free-kick straight into the back of the net, presumably with the aid of a deflection that wrong-footed Pym.
Pym did do well moments later to tip over a looping Kyprianou header from a Burrows centre. The home side made a change at the interval with Jordan Bowery introduced for Reed. Posh got themselves in front for the first time in the tie within a minute of the second half getting underway, Kioso raiding down the right, his cross was only half-cleared and CLARKE-HARRIS was there to force the ball home from close-range for his second of the night.
Pym did well to get a hand to a powerful Kioso header from a Burrows corner kick on 50 minutes as Posh pushed for a third goal. Clarke-Harris was not far away from getting his hat-trick on 55 minutes after cutting inside onto his left-foot on the angle, but it went inches wide of Pym’s right-hand post.
Clarke-Harris fired a free-kick just wide of the target as the Stags made a triple change to try and get some control on the game. A corner from Burrows again caused panic in the Stags back-line on 64 minutes, Clarke-Harris got the first contact but it struck Kioso and went inches wide.
Bilokapic did well to hold a skidding effort from substitute Bowery a minute later as Nigel Clough’s men won their first corner kick of the evening. Burrows was cautioned for a foul on Aaron Lewis by the touch-line. Brunt missed a glorious chance to level on 69 minutes as a deflected cross looped over Bilokapic and into the path of the defender, but he headed over. Posh would have been fuming had that gone in though as Collins was down clutching his head. Mansfield had the ball in the back of the net moments later through Akins, but the offside flag was raised and the goal was chalked off.
David Ajiboye replaced Jones in the first change of the evening for Darren Ferguson’s men. Boateng fired over on the volley from the edge of the box on 82 minutes as Mansfield piled bodies forward. Mason-Clark was cautioned for a foul on 86 minutes with Flint also cautioned.
Six minutes of added time was indicated by the fourth official as Aiden Flint powered a header straight at Bilokapic. Two minutes into stoppage time, the Stags drew themselves level as Lewis AKINS calmly scored from the spot after Clarke-Harris was penalised for a foul in the box.
For third successive round for Posh, it went to a shoot-out, but this time it was heartache as Christy Pym saved from Jonson Clarke-Harris and Ronnie Edwards, while Josh Knight hit the post. Bilokapic did well to save from Clarke and Aidan Flint his the post but Kellor-Dunn secured progress with a 3-1 success from 12-yards.
Mansfield: Pym, Williams (sub Kellor-Dunn 73min), Flint, Brunt, Cargill (sub MacDonald 60min), Reed (sub Bowery 46min), Lewis, Boateng, Maris (sub Clarke 60min), Swan (sub Akins 60min), Gale. Unused subs: Flinders, Cooper, Flanagan, Abdullah.
Posh: Bilokapic, Burrows (sub Sturge 88min), Edwards, Knight, Kioso, Kyprianou, Collins, Mason-Clark, Poku (sub Katongo 88min), Jones (sub Ajiboye 73min), Clarke-Harris. Subs: Talley, Crichlow, De Havilland, Fernandez, Corbett, Randall.
Half-time: Mansfield Town 1-1 Peterborough United
Full-time: Mansfield Town 2-2 Peterborough United (Mansfield win 3-1 on penalties)
Attendance: 4,372 (682 Posh fans)
Referee: Sebastien Stockbridge