Peterborough United v Pompey – Saturday 16th March 2024
Pompey’s midweek home win over Burton Albion kept our five-point lead at the top of League One over 2nd place Derby County and nine ahead of 4th place Peterborough United ahead of the match at London Road (AKA The Weston Homes Stadium).
But with The Posh having a game in hand over John Mousinho’s side, this was set up perfectly as a promotion six-pointer.
My wife Ajit and I earmarked this away match from the outset as my Uncle Brian lives in Peterborough, so this was a great opportunity to catch up with him.
After doing most of the 84 mile drive across from Birmingham, we stopped in Wansford (just west of Peterborough) for the first of my scenic photos.
For those like me who are James Bond fans, it was Peterborough’s old Nene Valley Railway where a scene from Octopussy (and GoldenEye) was filmed.
We arrived around 11am at Wansford Station on the Old Great North Road (just east of the A1) where Sir Roger Moore drove one of the film’s ‘baddie’s’ Mercedes along the track in pursuit of the circus train.
It’s quite something to think of the iconic actors and actresses that have been at this volunteer run railway line. Plus of course one of the film’s best-known lines by the ‘baddie’ “Follow that car!” which I tried my best to re-enact in the photo below.
Then for good measure, I drove round to Orton Mere station (a few miles west of the city centre) for the famous stunt where the signaller diverted 007 in the Merc onto the track of an oncoming train before Moore jumped onto the circus train just before the empty Merc is sent flying into the adjacent River Nene.
I ran out of time to find the bridge where the Merc splashed into the river, but I believe it was near Ferry Meadows, a tranquil oasis I remember going to when I first visited Peterborough as a kid in 1987 – a footballing year I will go into later.
It was now midday as we met Uncle Brian for our pub lunch at the Gordon Arms on Oundle Road. Although this was still a few miles from London Road, there were some Peterborough and Pompey fans in there too.
After a lovely catch up with Uncle Brian, he kindly dropped me & Ajit off outside the stadium around 2pm. As London Road is only half a mile south of the city centre, we still had time to sneak in some more sightseeing as we walked over Town Bridge to cross the River Nene.
Situated just inside East Anglia and just west of The Fens, Peterborough was a city designated a ‘New Town’ in the 1960s and has since trebled to a population of 180k as it continues to be one of the UK’s fastest growing populations.
This owes much to its London overspill gained since the 60s, and some well-known organisations now based there. Plus it is less than an hour on the train from Kings Cross with excellent road links.
Despite the functional perception of ‘New towns’, Peterborough is actually a historic city and once had a rich history in brickmaking long before its rapid population growth.
Pictured below is its 12th century cathedral, the neighbouring 17th century guildhall and St John’s Church on Cathedral Square/Church Street.
We then made our way back to London Road. When you arrive by the stadium car park, it looks a real old school football ground.
Pictured below (L-R): the main stand, the London Road End (home end) and like the Fratton Park vicinity, it has retained one of its original floodlight pylons.
Peterborough’s distinctive nickname The Posh dates back to when they were called Fletton United a century ago when (as quoted on the club website) their then manager said he was “looking for posh players to form a posh team”.
The club soon became Peterborough & Fletton United, then just Peterborough United in 1934 as the club have been an ever present in the Football League since their 1960 election.
Behind the main (North) stand is a statue of club legend Chris Turner who, as inscribed on the plinth, really had done everything at Peterborough United.
We then made our way past the half of the main stand allocated to Pompey’s huge contingent. Then round to the contemporary GH Display stand behind the goal where me & Ajit had our tickets.
My only previous visit to London Road was with my dad and brother in December 1992 in (what is now) the Championship (Peterborough’s first ever season at that level) in a 1-1 draw when Guy Whittingham equalised for us.
A number of changes to London Road have happened since then. The main stand on the right used to have a small terrace in front of the pillars, before a section of seats were constructed over it (à la Pompey’s South Stand).
In the mid-90s, the smart looking two-tiered Meerkat Family Stand on the left replaced the old uncovered Glebe Road Terrace.
Then the new single tier seated away stand opened in 2014.
This replaced the former Moy’s End I stood on in my previous visit which was a covered terrace identical to the London Road End (pictured below) before rail seating was installed in their end two years ago. In recent years, there have been ambitious plans put forward to relocate across the River Nene and construct a new multi-purpose Embankment Stadium.
Pompey’s 4k fans were in terrific voice as the pre-match atmosphere was really starting to build as the players made their way on the pitch next to ‘Mr Posh’ (pictured below) in his suit, top hat and walking cane.
John Mousinho made three changes as illnesses to both Joe Rafferty and Paddy Lane meant Zak Swanson returned to the starting XI with Rafferty dropping to the bench.
Whilst Lane was sent home with his illness as Jack Sparkes took his place. Meanwhile Colby Bishop started this game ahead of Kusini Yengi who was one of our substitutes.
Both sides played with real intensity and after early half chances at either end, Marlon Pack’s long distance free kick was saved awkwardly by Peterborough keeper Jed Steer before left back Harrison Burrows’ clearance hit Christian Saydee for a goal kick.
From that goal kick, Ephron Mason-Clark won the ball for Peterborough and played a fine ball down the wing by to the surging Burrows who unleashed a fizzing low shot just wide of Will Norris’ post. All this in the first 15 minutes.
Pompey had a penalty appeal turned down when Abu Kamara appeared to have been fouled then had a real let off at the other end. Jadel Katongo delivered a superb diagonal ball over to Mason-Clark who made a clever run in to box before smashing his shot off the underside of the crossbar.
Chances kept coming at either end with Bishop seeing his header saved from Pack’s cross and Mason-Clark fired into the side netting for the hosts.
Pompey were forced to make the game’s first substitution on 32 minutes as Saydee went off injured. It later transpired he had a neural hamstring injury, so this was a prudent measure to save any tearing happening. So earlier than expected, Yengi was brought on from the bench.
Peterborough dominated possession in the first 45 minutes, but it was a half of even chances. Mason-Clark again came close and forced a save from Norris.
Whilst Pompey won a succession of corners in stoppage time and as The Posh were unable to clear Sparkes’ second corner, both Conor Shaughnessy and Bishop had attempts blocked as the match was goalless at the break.
HT: Peterborough United 0-0 Pompey
The second half began in equally competitive fashion as Pompey survived a nerve-jangling moment on 55 minutes when a good passing move saw Katongo run to the byline, but his deflected cut back was volleyed just wide by Malik Mothersille.
Pompey were soon on the attack when Myles Peart-Harris shot just over the bar. Then minutes later, Sparkes delivered a decent corner which Steer got his hands to before Edwards got his header in to concede another corner.
Just after the hour, Peart-Harris was replaced by Gavin Whyte in midfield – a substitute who would prove so key later in the half. Both sides continued with some fine attacking play with Bishop firing just over for Pompey and Joel Randall doing the same for the hosts.
Then on 77 minutes came the game’s defining moment. As Peterborough patiently broke into our box, their cross was cut out by Shaughnessy as Pompey broke from the back. Bishop and Whyte played a one-two which saw Whyte charge forward to winthe ball and deliver a superb pass to find Yengi in space who skilfully charged into the box beyond Edwards before striking past Steer for his 7th league goal of the season as two sides of London Road erupted.
With limbs all around me, it was some achievement that I kept my emotions under control to photograph the above celebrations.
What a crucial breakthrough by Pompey, but as Peterborough are League One’s top scorers and had found the net in every home league match so far this season, I envisaged an onslaught.
But ironically it was Pompey who posed the more attacking threat as Mousinho’s side really had the wind in their sails and defended superbly from the front.
Yengi was on fire and nearly got his 2nd on 80 minutes when he held the ball up brilliantly in the box before losing his markers and forcing a save by Steer.
Peterborough never really looked like scoring, other than a hopeful shot by Burrows which flew high and wide. Then a few crosses that Norris had to be alert to claim. Whyte almost made absolutely certain of the three points, but his shot found the side netting after a decent run.
As a final throw of the dice, Darren Ferguson made a treble substitution for The Posh as the game went into stoppage time. But the three points were heading back to PO4 amid wild celebrations from our fans and players.
FT: Peterborough United 0-1 Pompey
Att: 12,744 (4,019 Pompey fans)
With much Pompey jubilation by us all at full time, bouncing around if we’re top of the league (amongst other deafening chants) it seemed only right that Ajit, so often an honorary Pompey fan when going to games with me, joined in the fun with her Coventry City t-shirt (her home city) after the Sky Blues dramatic late FA Cup quarter final win at Wolves earlier in the day.
If you believe in good omens, when Coventry won the FA Cup in 1987, Pompey and Derby won automatic promotion (albeit Derby were Champions and it was the division above).
Here’s hoping then that the title of a certain number 1 hit by Starship that year will prove prophetic again to mine & Ajit’s clubs in 2024.
So after Pompey’s first win at London Road since September 2018 and Derby County’s equally huge six-pointer win at home to Bolton Wanderers, Mousinho’s side remain five points clear at the top, but crucially now nine points ahead of 3rd place with seven games to go.
Due to our three international call ups, Saturday’s home match against Barnsley had to be postponed which is a slight shame to disturb our momentum. But more time to rest and recover from the injuries ahead of our next crucial League One match at Wycombe Wanderers on Good Friday. PUP PPU.
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