Town's Carling Cup campaign again ended early as Peterborough won a penalty shoot-out 4-2. Matt Richards and Alex Bruce missed from the spot after goals from Jason De Vos and Billy Clarke had seen the Blues twice come from behind to draw 2-2 after extra-time.

Winger Jaime Peters dropped out of the squad with an injury, while as expected Sam Parkin was left behind while his transfer talks continue. Danny Haynes, Fabian Wilnis, Matt Richards and Dean Bowditch were recalled, while unavailable loanees Simon Walton and Mark Noble and the injured Gavin Williams and Alan Lee dropped out. Lewis Price continued in goal, while Alex Bruce switched back to central midfield.

Danny Haynes forced an early save from Posh keeper Mark Tyler, then Adam Newton shot across the face of the Town goal after finding acres of space on the right.

The home side were starting better than the Blues and in the 11th minute Guy Branston headed a freekick wide. Dean Bowditch had a shot deflected wide, then Trevor Benjamin went down inside the Town area claiming an optimistic penalty.

As the half hour mark approached, Town started to get more into the game, passing the ball around more comfortably. Harding did well on the left and laid the ball back to Nicky Forster on the edge of the box but his shot was blocked.

Peterborough's Chris Plummer was booked for a foul on Forster, then Danny Haynes was cautioned for his second foul on Jaime Day.

On 32 good work from Haynes and Forster down the right led to Bruce hitting a shot from the edge of the box which Tyler saved. A minute later Bowditch sent in a low ball just too far in front of Richards and Tyler claimed.

In the 36th minute Jason De Vos and Posh striker Justin Richards both were forced off the field by cuts to the head. The duo required new shirts due to the new blood rule, something which was to be repeated with annoying regularity throughout the game.

New signing Martin Brittain replaced Nicky Forster in the 38th minute, the striker having having fallen awkwardly after an earlier challenge. The former Reading man has a thigh problem but should be back for Friday's game at QPR.

Danny Haynes should have put the Blues in front in the 45th minute, cutting past a defender on the edge of the area but rushing his shot and hitting the ball straight at the keeper.

Play immediately moved to the other end and, after Fabian Wilnis had misheaded the ball backwards, Richard Naylor felled Trevor Benjamin with an ill-judged challenge inside the penalty area. Benjamin took the kick himself and made no mistake.

There was almost a second goal before the break, Day crossing from the left and Simon Yeo flashing a header wide of Price's post.

Prior to the penalty the Blues had appeared to be getting on top after a somewhat disjointed first 25 minutes or so. Gradually the passing had started to come together and chances were starting to be created.

Peterborough might have scored again seven minutes after the break when Dean Holden headed a Justin Richards cross wide. For the Blues, Haynes saw a shot saved, then went wide with a subsequent effort moments later.

Haynes reacted quickly to a poor back pass in the 54th minute but Tyler was alert and retrieved the situation, catching the Town striker in the face as he did so.

There were more Posh appeals for a penalty in the 55th minute when Yeo went to ground somewhat unconvincingly after running into Fabian Wilnis. Billy Clarke replaced the quiet Darren Currie in the 63rd minute. Soon after a goal-bound Richard Butcher shot deflected wide of the Town goal.

On 71 Danny Haynes spurned another chance to score after beating a defender in the area but lashing his shot over the bar. An 82nd minute Brittain corner caused problems in the Peterborough box, no one clearing a loose ball and a Town shot appearing to strike a Posh hand. Referee Keith Hill was unimpressed with the appeals.

With six minutes of normal time remaining, Chris Casement took over from Fabian Wilnis at right-back. As the end drew close, Naylor headed a deep Richards corner over the bar, Jason De Vos staying forward to add height to the attack.

As the game entered the final minute, Richards skipped past a defender on the left, just beat the ball to the byline and sent in a cross to the near post. De Vos stooped to head the ball across Tyler and into the net.

The Town players celebrated as the injury time board revealed seven minutes of time added on, mainly for shirt replacements, Bruce and Clarke also having had to change during the second half.

Casement received a yellow card for time wasting, then Haynes took a Clarke cross off the toe of Bowditch, stretching to send the ball wide of the post with the former England U19 international better placed behind him.

The Blues were now completely in control and a late, late winner looked on the cards, Bowditch carving out a shooting opportunity for Richards but a defender blockingd. A Haynes header saved by Tyler was the last action of normal time.

Town should have gone ahead in the third minute of injury time, Haynes delaying putting the ball in to a completely unmarked Richards inside the box. When Haynes finally did deliver, the midfielder's shot was too close to Tyler who made another save and Clarke's rebound was deflected wide.

De Vos saw a header brilliantly saved by Tyler and Clarke was unlucky not to scramble in the rebound with some Town fans feeling his follow-up had crossed the line.

The Blues were well on top and a goal looked likely to arrive at any moment. However, as so often, it came at the other end. A mix-up between Lewis Price and Richard Naylor saw the defender head the ball out for an unnecessary corner. Holden's kick was met by Branston, who had lost Naylor, the former Colchester man powering a header beyond Price.

De Vos saw another header saved, then Clarke, by now in his third shirt of the game bearing Jaime Peters's name, shot straight to Tyler.

However, in the 107th minute Clarke scored an equaliser, his first senior goal. A throw-in was cleared to the edge of the box where Matt Richards hit a shot which Tyler could only push on to the bar, Clarke tapping home from close range.

After the break the Blues went looking for the winner. Brittain had a shot saved, then sent in a cross which De Vos headed just wide.

For the home side, Benjamin went wide from the edge of the area, prior to Alex Bruce received a yellow card for time wasting. The final attempt on goal came from Posh midfielder Peter Gain who shot well over when in a good position on the right.

Penalties were taken at the Town end of the ground. Newton, Holden, Carden and Arber scored for the home side, while Clarke, now wearing Sam Parkin's shirt, and Brittain netted for the Blues. Richards saw his kick saved, his second penalty miss of the season, while Bruce shot wide to give Peterborough a 4-2 win.

Very much a mixed bag from the Blues in what was an exciting cup tie. Another Carling Cup defeat to lower division opposition with individual defensive errors once again well to the fore. The penalty seemed needless, while the corner which led to the second was caused by a failure to communicate. From the corner Branston escaped his marker and scored a goal at a time when the Blues looked set to go on to win the tie.

However, Town's largely young side played some good stuff at times with Billy Clarke a constant danger once introduced from the bench. There were more than enough chances to put the game beyond doubt but Danny Haynes in particular was guilty of rushing his shot, perhaps a sign of anxiety from a side yet to win this season.

New man Brittain put in some excellent crosses and looked promising from dead ball situations, but took a while to get into the game.

Town: Price, Wilnis (Casement 86), Harding, Naylor, De Vos, Richards, Bruce, Currie, Bowditch, Forster, Haynes. Unused: Trotter, Sito. Att: 4,792

Photo: Action Images

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