Jack Taylor celebrates against Morecambe

Three first half goals earned Posh a fourth win from six since Darren Ferguson’s return to PE2.

Peterborough United made it four wins from six since the return of manager Darren Ferguson as three goals in the first half from Jack Taylor, Joe Ward and Kwame Poku secured a 3-0 victory at Morecambe in Sky Bet League One action.

Posh made a bright start to the game, forcing a couple of early corners after good pressure from the front while skipper Jonson Clarke-Harris fired a free-kick from 35-yards into a sturdy looking wall.

The deadlock as broken on 12 minutes, Jack TAYLOR with a neat flick to open up the shooting opportunity and his effort from nearly 30 yards took a nick off the head of Farrend Rawson and flew into the top corner past the outstretched arms of Ripley.

Posh double the lead on 21 minutes as Joe WARD’S free-kick from the edge of the box proved to be a calamity for Ripley in the Morecambe goal as he let the effort squirm through his body and into the back of the net.

Posh made it 3-0 soon afterwards as POKU cut inside onto his left-foot and his shot took a deflection and found the bottom corner.

Clarke-Harris had a chance to make it four on 33 minutes as he raced onto a Taylor pass, but his left-foot shot is routine for Ripley. Kyprianou was cautioned for a shirt tug on Dan Crowley three minutes before the interval by referee Darren Handley.

A minute before the break, Morecambe came close twice, first Weir saw a shot tipped over by Norris before Rawson hit the base of the post from the resulting corner kick. Posh made a change at the break with Jeando Fuchs replacing Kyprianou in the middle of the park.

Poku fired over with his left-foot a minute into the second half after a patient Posh build-up after Mason-Clark initially did well to win possession against the odds in midfield. Bedeau was booked for a foul on Poku in the centre circle on 51 minutes.

The Shrimps had a great chance to get themselves back in the game just before hour mark as a corner from the right picked out Shaw eight-yards from goal, all alone, but he headed wide of the target.

Ben Thompson replaced Poku as Ferguson made his second change just after the hour mark. Taylor was denied a second goal by a fine smothering stop from Ripley moments later after good work from Ogbeta.

Rawson headed over from a corner kick on 65 minutes and it did appear that set-pieces were a way for the home side to get back into game as the delivery into the box was excellent.

Morecambe made a triple substitution on 72 minutes to try and get back into the game as the second half became very bitty with plenty of free-kicks and stoppages. Dan Butler replaced Burrows for the last 15 minutes of the contest.

Ogbeta dinked a cross-shot wide of the target after good work from Thompson as the game moved into the last 10 minutes. Ogbeta was superbly repelled by Ripley on 86 minutes as Posh came close to a fourth goal.

Morecambe: Ripley, Gibson, Rawson, Crowley, Stockton, Gnahoua (sub Mellon 71min), Weir (sub Taylor 72min), Bedeau, Shaw (sub Austerfield 72min), Rooney, Mayor. Unused subs: Smith, Love, Delaney, Simeu.

Posh: Norris, Ward, Knight, Edwards, Ogbeta, Poku (sub Thompson 61min), Taylor, Kyprianou (sub Fuchs 46min), Clarke-Harris, Mason-Clark, Burrows (sub Butler 75min). Unused subs: Blackmore, Kent, Tshimanga, Randall. 

Half-time: Morecambe 0-3 Peterborough United
Full-time: Morecambe 0-3 Peterborough United
Attendance: 4,172 (458 Posh fans)
Referee: Darren Handley