Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Club News

Peterborough 1 Rovers 1

1 January 2018

Club News

Peterborough 1 Rovers 1

1 January 2018

Sponsored by

Ben Whiteman scored a stoppage-time equaliser to extend Rovers’ unbeaten run to five games with a 1-1 draw at Peterborough.

Danny Lloyd’s early effort put Posh ahead, with Liam Mandeville twice going close before the break.

Rovers continued to push after the interval, with Alfie May having an effort deflected just wide and Jonathan Bond brilliantly tipping Marquis’ 90th-minute header beyond a post before Whiteman struck.

Darren Ferguson shuffled his pack, with Joe Wright, Matty Blair and Mandeville all coming into the starting line-up.

The first chance fell to Rovers inside the opening minute as a clearance fell nicely for May, but the forward’s effort was blocked. Posh countered, with Jack Marriott unable to get his effort back across goal.

Tommy Rowe enjoyed some early success against his former club, with a direct run into the area which was only ended by a great sliding tackle from Steven Taylor.

Home keeper Jonathan Bond only punched the resulting corner as far as Ben Whiteman, whose cross found Joe Wright - the defender beat Bond to the ball, only for the referee to give a foul against the visitors.

Moments later the ball again fell to Rowe, he hit a powerful shot but it clipped the heels of May and was plucked out the air by Bond.

The home side went ahead after 14 minutes from a set-piece. Marcus Maddison played the ball deep to the far post, where Ryan Tafazolli headed it back for Lloyd to prod in from close range.

Rovers almost drew level instantly through a set-piece of their own after Matty Blair was caught late just outside the area. Mandeville stepped up to curl an effort which landed just outside the near post.

Mandeville was next to try his luck for Rovers, curling an effort over after a good passing move involving May, Marquis and Whiteman.

The game was a real end-to-end affair, with Maddison curling an effort into the stands after latching on to Niall Mason’s headed clearance.

Maddison was booked just after the hour mark for simulation after going down in the area under pressure from Mason and Ian Lawlor.

And Lawlor had to be alert just before the break as Lloyd broke into the area after collecting Michael Doughty’s pass, but the visiting keeper did well to get down and block with his legs.

There were no changes from either side at the break, and the second period was just as open as the first.

Blair fired the first effort of the second half into the stands, with Ryan Tafzolli flicking a header just wide from a Maddison corner before another set-piece from the Posh No.11 ended with Chris Forrester rasping a powerful effort against the outside of a post.

Mason’s set-piece deliveries were also causing some problems, with defender Wright glancing a header just wide and Rowe causing problems from a corner.

May had an effort deflected just wide as the game approached the hour mark, as Rovers enjoyed plenty of the ball.

Rovers forced some last-gasp defending from the home side, with Marquis, May and Rowe all just squeezed out as they looked to get shots away in the area.

Alfie Beestin was brought on, replacing Mandeville, with just over 20 minutes to go, quickly followed by Rodney Kongolo coming on for Jordan Houghton, as Ferguson looked to get Rovers back into the game.

Maddison and Leo Da Silva Lopes fired high and wide for the home side, but Rovers pushed in the final stages.

Bond tipped Marquis' header wide, before Whiteman struck.


Advertisement block

iFollow Next Match Tickets Account