Forest Green Rovers v Posh

Darren Ferguson’s men made it three wins from three after a battling 2-0 victory at Forest Green Rovers.

Peterborough United recorded their third successive victory under Darren Ferguson as goals from Jonson Clarke-Harris and Hector Kyprianou secured a 2-0 success against Forest Green Rovers at the Bolt New Lawn.

Kwame Poku tested goalkeeper Doohan inside the opening 60 seconds after Posh worked a free-kick short following a handball by Robson. A deep free-kick from Joe Ward picked out skipper Jonson Clarke-Harris at the back post, but he couldn’t direct his header on target.

Brandon Cooper stabbed wide from an in-swinging free-kick on 19 minutes as the hosts threatened to find a breakthrough. Thompson picked out Clarke-Harris on 27 minutes, but the skipper was a long way out when he connected with his header and it went well wide.

Godwin-Malife was cautioned for a foul on Mason-Clark on 32 minutes after the former Barnet man won a tackle deep in Posh’s defensive third. A deep corner from Ward was nodded back across by Kent to Edwards, but on the stretch he can’t divert his volley towards goal.

O’Keefe was booked for a foul to the dismay of manager Duncan Ferguson who launched a tirade at the fourth official. Two minutes of added time was indicated by the fourth official, but Posh were unable to find a breakthrough before the break.

Thompson was cautioned on 49 minutes for a foul on Garrick as Forest Green tried to break before Bakayoko saw a low shot easily repelled by Norris. Cooper was then booked for obstructing the play as he prevented Norris from kicking the ball.

Darren Ferguson made his first change just after the hour with Nathaniel Ogbeta replacing Dan Butler at left-back. Clarke-Harris glanced a header from a Ward cross wide of the target under pressure from a defender before Posh were forced into a change as Ben Thompson replaced the injured Jack Taylor.

Posh were awarded a spot-kick as Cooper upended Poku in the box and skipper CLARKE-HARRIS squeezed his spot-kick into the net despite the best efforts of Doohan. Bakayoko then tested goalkeeper Will Norris with a fierce drive which the on-loan keeper did well to tip over.

Josh Knight replaced Poku as the game entered the final 10 minutes. Peart-Harris was booked for a foul on the marauding Kyprianoi on 83 minutes. Ward saw a swerving shot beaten away by Doohan on 87 minutes after good work from Ben Thompson.

The fourth official indicated a minimum of eight minutes stoppage time, which set up a grandstand finish. Four minutes into stoppage time, Posh made it 2-0 and what a goal it was and all the work of midfielder Hector KYPRIANOU who danced past two defenders and rifled a shot into the top corner leaving the keeper no chance.

Cooper flashed a shot wide deep into stoppage time before the referee brought and end to proceedings as Posh made it three wins from three.

 

Forest Green: Doohan, O’Keefe, McGeouch (sub McCann 58min), Casey, Garrick (sub Omotoye 79min), Robson, Bakayoko (sub Clarke 78min), Godwin-Malife (sub Bernard 79min), Cooper, Peart-Harris, Onyango. Unused subs: Thomas, Stevenson, McCallister.

Posh: Norris, Butler (sub Ogbeta 63min), Edwards, Kent, N. Thompson, Ward, Kyprianou, Taylor (sub B. Thompson 70min), Poku (sub Knight 80min), Clarke-Harris, Mason-Clark. Unused subs: Blackmore,  Burrows, Jones, Tshimanga.

Half-time: Forest Green Rovers 0-0 Peterborough United
Full-time: Forest Green Rovers 0-2 Peterborough United
Attendance:  3,273 (767 Posh fans)
Referee: Ben Toner