Grayson kept the same starting XI that pulled off a stunning display against Wolves at the weekend with the addition of Hammill being named on the bench;
Town's Team: Smithies, Woods, Gerrard, Clarke, Hunt, Ward, Norwood, Southern, Clayton, Beckford, Vaughan.
Town's Bench: Bennett, Dixon, Lynch, Hammill, Scannell, Robinson, Novak.
Huddersfield Town started off the game as the better side and were being cheered on by a very good following of away fans that were making themselves heard at London Road. Beckford & Vaughan were immediately into the thick of the action as they looked to threaten the back three which The Posh had set up. However, it was Peterborough who created the first real meaningful chance of the game. Lee Tomlin played the ball to on loan Saido Berahino who from the edge of the box blasted over Smithies bar with a powerful shot.
George Boyd had already been singled out as Peterborough's key player and he was living up to his reputation. His early cross was met by the head of Mark Little but Smithies didn't have much to do as it was directed straight down the young goalkeepers throat. The Posh were threatening and they got a deserved goal with less than 15 minutes on the clock. A debatable free kick was taken quickly by Peterborough as Grant McCann fed Tomlin in who dragged a defender with him before slipping the ball into the feet of Boyd. George skipped past a Jack Hunt challenge and fired past Smithies from a tight angle.
George Boyd shortly after gave the home side a remarkable two goal lead as well as netting his second of the game. Boyd picked up on a loose ball just inside the terriers half before looking up and seeing Smithies well off his line. The Posh player didn't need a second invitation as he volleyed a shot over Smithies head and into the back of the net. Peterborough fans couldn't believe their eyes but they were nearly brought back down to Earth with a speculative effort from Jermaine Beckford. The on loan striker attempted to replicate Boyd as he went for an audacious lob from inside his own half but it was watched over the bar by Posh goalkeeper Bobby Olejnik.
Peterborough were in full swing now and running rampant as they sensed the chance to take the game beyond Huddersfield Town. Peter Clarke had to be on his best to block Berahino's shot which looked goalbound. Beckford wasted an opportunity at the other hand as he chose to lash an effort over the bar instead of crossing into the danger area. The terriers needed the half time interval to come quick and they were lucky to get in with just a two goal defecit. Grant McCann received a ball from a fellow Posh player and sent a shot sailing towards goal from 25 yards out. Smithies scrambled across his goal as the shot whistled just inches wide of the post.
Half Time: Peterborough United 2-0 Huddersfield Town
The terriers immediately went in search for a goal to bring them back into the game in the second half but instead they found themselves picking up the ball from their net yet again as Peterborough made it three nil. Boyd was yet again given way too much space to work with in the middle of the park and after his initial shot had been blocked, he chipped to the back post where Kgosi Ntlhe was waiting to head home past Alex Smithies.
Grayson expressed his frustration at his teams performance by immediately bringing on two fresh faces onto the pitch. Hammill & Dixon came on to replace Woods & Ward and the substitutions paid dividends straight away as Hammill got the terriers back into the game.
The on loan winger scored with his second shot since coming on as he cut inside from the flank before skipping past a defender and smashing a low drive into the far corner of the goal from twenty yards out. The away fans were back in full voice now and Norwood had a chance to threaten the home sides goal once again but his free-kick was hit too tamely to cause any sort of threat. Huddersfield knew the comeback was on as Beckford was tripped on the edghe of the penalty area for yet another free kick. Up stepped Oliver Norwood but this time his curling effort could only clip the top of the wall and sail over the bar.
Peterborough were starting to hold on to their two goal lead as the away side pushed forward and the terriers were nearly caught on the counter attack but Berahino could only prod wide at the near post. Boyd then came close to getting his hat-trick and if it wasn't for a brilliant block by Peter Clarke he could well of got it.
Time was running out for Huddersfield and The Posh could well of sealed the game in the 72nd minute. James Vaughan made a mess of a back pass that gifted Berahino with a one on one opportunity but Smithies denied the young striker brilliantly by diving down at his feet to save Vaughan's blushes. Grayson once again reacted straight away by bringing on Scannell for Vaughan in an attempt to scrape back a comeback & salvage something from the game.
The game was now wide open but Peterborough were holding firm as they denied the terriers any sort of real chance in the penalty area. Dixon was forced to shoot from range but it was a horrible effort that seemed to suck the life out of Huddersfield Town as it went high & wide. Boyd was still playing some lovely football and he was gifted another shooting opportunity when Norwood slipped on the wet grass but Smithies was up to the test.
Five minutes of injury time came to an end when Gerrard headed a Hammill free-kick over the bar.
Full time: Peterborough United 3-1 Huddersfield Town
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone
No comments:
Post a Comment