Posh Punishment Part 2

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 25/03/2007

TOWN operated a 4 - 5 - 1 formation, with North up front and Till replacing Bore in the line-up. There was an interesting moment on three minutes when Whittle went to hoof the ball upfield but stopped, reflected in a Rousseauesque fashion, and decided to control and pass the ball.

Orders from above, no doubt, and very encouraging. Other than a dangerous cross pass from Bolland, which the Posh player overran and Whittle neatly mopped up, Town were intent on playing a patient passing game. On 10, Toner played a ball out wide to Newey who lost control and gave away a free kick. Battling Bolland won a free kick when obstructed on 11, and Town won a corner soon after.

Toner intercepted in the posh half and set up Till who couldn’t control the ball, and then on 15 Hunt was fouled, but North merely passed the ball across to no-one. Macca, who was orchestrating the passing on the right side, won a corner on 17 after showing great determination. Town’s best chance came on 22 minutes when North ran up the middle and fired over with Till and Toner available as support on each side. Town won another corner, before Posh won one themselves on 25. Andy commented that Town looked comfortable. "Even Whittle looks comfortable on the ball".

Town were battling for every ball and not allowing Posh to play but were making too many mistakes themselves. On 31 Toner wasted a free kick after being stopped by Posh’s fouling machine White. Macca won an interception but the ball ran out of play for North. Posh had a chance on 36 when Hunt mistimed a tackle outside the box but Strachan weakly kicked the ball into the wall. Hunt started a move on 40, but the attack broke down again on the left as the Town players lost each other again. "Buckley will be doing his nut" commented Andy.

A surge from Toner on 41 resulted in a low shot which won a corner. The ball was ballooned over the bar. Another move up the left on 42 led to Hunt teeing up Bolland who skewed the ball over. A good Newey run earned Town a corner but nothing came of it and the whistle blew for half time. Town 0, Posh 0.

Half time verdict. The game was very scrappy. Town had most of the build up play but all the moves were breaking down. Good determined play was forcing Posh into mistakes but Town were making mistakes and losing each other. There were a couple of moves at the end where Town looked better but overall it was uninspiring and there was no excitement or talking points in what was a drab 45 minutes.

The report continues in the Second Half

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