Last minute penalty costs Posh victory!


POSH regained much of their self-respect with this performance but a last mi- nute penalty denied them a much needed victory. After their midweek drubbing, Saturday's game was always going to be more about determination ad battling rather than finesse and skill. And so it proved to be. Posh showed character and commitment although never approached the level of skill they were producing at the start of the season. The midfield was too inconspicuous for that. Andy Kowalski's continued absence is weighing heavy on Posh, a point which skipper Trevor Quow confirmed. He said: "A lot of people have said Andy's injury was a blow and it was, because he gives us depth, he is able to create and defend. I certainly played well when he was in there."

EASY

Without Kowalski's claming influence, Posh's style has become mainly kick-and-rush. But it seemed for most of the 90 minutes on Saturday that any style would be good enough to beat an Exeter side who rarely looked capable of scoring. It was easy to see why they are averaging less than a goal a game this season. but they were handed an equaliser on a plate with only seconds left. A free kick hit into Posh's area was touched goalwards and Quow tried, to chest it awayff the goalline but it popped up and hit on the arm. Tony Kellow did the rest from the penalty spot. That goal came some 88 minutes after Posh had taken the lead. If any side needed an early goal to set- tle them down and calm the nerves, it was Posh. Garry Worrall's cross reached Lil Fuccillo on the far edge of the area, he turned the ball back into the middle and Tony Rees dived in to score his first goal for Posh on his home debut with only 35 seconds gone. It was fitting that Rees should score because he had an excellent game. He brought Posh's lowest crowd of the season to their feet twice in the second half with two sizzling runs. The first ended when his shot was blocked and the second, from deep inside his own half, culminated in a fierce drive over the bar. He was also the creator of Posh's best chance of the game. He touched on a cross after 34 minutes perfectly for Jackie Gallagher but uncharacteristically, the striker screwed his effort wide of the far post. That would have buried Exeter but with only one goal in it, the Devonshire side were always in with a chance. Indeed, Nick Marker had the ball in the net in the tenth minute but to Posh's relief it was disallowed for offside. Exeter's attack, though, were largely kept at bay by fine performances from Jimmy Holmes and Trevor Slack. When Posh were fighting a rearguard action in the last 15 minutes it was obvious how much they missed Slack who went off with a cut and concussion in the 75th minute. Posh are now without a win in nine games, having picked up only four points from a possible 27. That's a disastrous run by any standards but on Saturday Posh showed they have the character, at least, to end it.

Peterborough
Turner, Paris, Pike,Quow, Slack (replaced by Kelly after 76 min), Holmes, McClure, Fuccillo, Gallagher, Roms, Worrall. 

Exeter City
Shaw, Harrower,Viney, McNichol,Impey, Marker, Ling. Jackson (replaced by McCaffery after 80 mins). Kellow,  Keough Crawford

Referee-L M. Robinson (Sutton Cold)

Attendance 2.200

Goals 
Posh  Rem (1);
Exeter Marker (1).