We knew we’re getting greedy, we know nothing ever runs smoothly in football. But we just wanted to win this one too, to round off the mini-series of five games with 13 out of 15 points, knowing that a win would take us up to fifth with Huddersfield not playing, hopefully closer to Stockport in fourth if they messed up a Bristol Rovers, and aware that next up are some pretty tough fixtures on paper. We were surely also aware that any drop in standards usually sees us come up short and of our poor recent record against Peterborough, a team most would have predicted a good deal higher at this stage of the season than they are.
That backdrop couldn’t really prepare us for the rollercoaster of emotions through the game as, after a sticky start, we took control of the game, peppered their goal, but failed to make the breakthrough. Then in the second half we were handed (quite literally) what we needed, had the advantage compounded by Peterborough reduced to 10 men, then lost our heads in a crazy few minutes and managed – unforgivably in the circumstances - to get caught on the break, conceded a penalty (which could have been accompanied by a red card) to be pegged back, then struggled for 25 minutes or so to regain the lead, only to be rescued in the last minute of normal time by Gillesphey’s header from a corner. My word (to put it politely) we made hard work of that one, but when the dust settled we had the points.
To absolutely nobody’s surprise, Jones named an unchanged starting XI, with the only change on the bench being Anderson returning (after having missed Stevenage for personal reasons), with new loan signing McIntyre missing out.
We began the game poorly, off the pace and looking vulnerable to Peterborough’s lively forwards. Unnecessary free kicks given away, an early error by Jones which almost let them in and resulted in a yellow card for him, guy in behind Gillesphey, all in the first 10 minutes. It had taken us perhaps 30 minutes to get to grips with Stevenage’s set-up on Saturday, but last night we adjusted faster and began to peg them back.
Once that happened you started to see why they have been conceding an average of almost two goals a game. They did manage just about to contain the threat from Small and Campbell down either flank, with the returning Edun limiting the former’s ability to run at him. But a 15-minute spell produced a litany of near misses. An Edwards cross saw Godden almost produce another near post finish, good work down the right saw Berry almost convert a Small cross, Berry had a shot blocked. Berry was then clearly fouled inside the box but nothing given, Campbell was able to use his pace to get in on goal but delivered a weak finish. Finally a Berry shot came back off the post with Steer beaten and closest of all Jones headed back a corner and Godden met it on the full, but his fierce shot was too close to Steer and was pushed away, while Edwards picking up the rebound had his first effort blocked and poked the second wide.
Things did calm down a little after that, Peterborough even managed an attack. But the stats at the break showed we had 63% possession and had nine attempts on goal, four on target, versus two and one for them. It felt like a game in which one goal would probably lead to two or three, just had to get that first one.
Thankfully we didn’t have to wait too long into the second half before it came, although the circumstances were surprising. A ball across their box saw Docherty pounce as the defender slipped. He played it inside to Campbell. His shot appeared to be blocked normally, but joy of joys the ref saw things differently and immediately pointed to the spot. Later the replays on TV did show that, although their defender was close to Campbell, his arm moved out to stop the shot. Good spot by the ref. Godden stepped up and put it beyond Steer’s despairing dive.
Things got better shortly after as their guy moving down the touchline seemed to overrun the ball and lunge in on Small, who took a painful blow. It was clearly a bad challenge, leaving the ref with no option, although it didn’t seem malicious and the replays indicate the guy had tried to flick the ball forward but missed, following through on Small.
Now in complete control surely we would knock the ball around for a while, take all the sting out of it, push them back, and finish off the game with another goal or two. Instead we quite frankly lost our heads. Players started running around intent on getting another immediately and made poor choices. Godden took a shot from an unlikely spot when others were better placed. And we simply forgot that Peterborough did have a game plan, even with 10 men: to spring forward at pace on the break if and when the opportunity arose.
It did and amazingly against 10 we were caught on the break short of numbers. Their guy got goalside of Ramsay. He tried to do just enough to put him off but not to bundle him over, but the forward opted to go to ground anyway and the ref again had little option but to award the penalty, even if the first contact might have been outside the box. The only question then was whether Ramsay would get a yellow or a red. I’m not sure on the rules, obviously it was a goalscoring opportunity, but with a penalty given Ramsay escaped with yellow. But the penalty was converted and stupidly we were back level again.
There was still around half an hour to play, so no need for panic, even if heads were collectively being shaken and I’m sure Addicks watching were, like me, distraught. And our nerves were not eased as, although we had a chance or two, we struggled to make our man advantage pay. Peterborough had a free kick and even though we had 11 against 10, and in Campbell and Small players capable of outpacing defenders, brought all 11 back. From a corner Ramsay had a goalbound header blocked by a defender’s head, Small had a shot saved, but in general Peterborough were containing us better than they had in the first half.
On 71 minutes Jones made his first change, Leaburn coming on for Edwards, which meant Small switching to the left and Campbell to wide right. Ramsay averted rare Peterborough danger, then Leaburn couldn’t quite get on the end of a diverted ball in from Small. Aneke and Gilbert were introduced for Berry and Godden.
With only a couple of minutes of normal time left it seemed it just wasn’t to be, as somehow from Campbell’s ball in Docherty’s header did not find the back of the net, as once again a defender managed to get in the way. But from the corner that resulted we were finally celebrating again, as Gillesphey’s header unlike others somehow managed to evade everyone and end up nestling in the far corner.
We were able to see out the six minutes of stoppage time, with Mitchell coming on for Campbell to help close it out. A mighty sense of relief with the final whistle that two points had not been thrown away after all, with a late Bristol Rovers equaliser against Stockport adding to the enjoyment.
We now go into another mini-spell of five games – away at Birmingham, Exeter at home, away at Leyton Orient, Barnsley at home, then Stockport away. Barnsley may have fallen away of late, with just one point from their last five, and Exeter are on a poor run, despite FA Cup heroics, a draw and five defeats in their last six. But away at Birmingham, Leyton Orient and Stockport are obviously massive games. The Birmingham game may be one we can view as anything from it is a bonus (which is not to say we don’t go there in good spirits and more than capable of taking something).
As for the other two, we’re not going to go looking for draws but the imperative is not to lose. You can only tip the hat to these teams, they are where they deserve to be and are obviously serious contenders. We’ve put ourselves in a position where we’re no longer in desperate need of victories against those around us to try to close a gap, but we can’t let them get away from us again. In an ideal world we draw the three away games, win the two at home, take nine points, then see what the world looks like as we approach the run-in. OK in an ideal world we win them all, but that’s just being greedy, isn’t it?
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