Aaron Cresswell’s first goal for Town eventually saw the Blues to a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Peterborough United at Portman Road. Grant Leadbitter put the Blues ahead but Tyrone Barnett made it 1-1 at the break. Daryl Murphy nodded the home side back in front, then Posh sub Emile Sinclair equalised, prior to Cresswell’s winner, which deflected in off Gabriel Zakuani.

Town boss Paul Jewell named the expected side with Lee Martin returning in place of Jason Scotland as the Blues moved back to their more regular formation with the former Manchester United man behind lone striker Michael Chopra.

The first chance of the game fell to Chopra inside the second minute, the striker heading to Posh keeper Paul Jones from Andy Drury’s lob from the edge of the box.

Within seconds Peterborough had had an even better opportunity to go in front, George Boyd crossed from the left and an unmarked Tyrone Barnett stabbed wide from eight yards when he really should have scored.

Emmanuel-Thomas hit a low drive through to Jones on five with the game beginning in the expected open manner.

Paul Taylor got away behind the Town defence in the eighth minute but was forced wide by Carlos Edwards, who eventually blocked the former Chester man’s ball across the box.

Martin found Edwards with a superb cross-field pass a minute later, Emmanuel-Thomas for once miscuing his shot. Posh broke quickly and Boyd shot across the face.

The visitors had another chance to go in front in the 13th minute when Taylor crossed from the right and Tommy Rowe somehow failed to connect with his header with the goal gaping. Peterborough had had the better chances during the opening spell and the Blues could we have been behind.

Jones did well to save Emmanuel-Thomas’s curling shot down to his right in the 15th minute and from the resultant corner, Town went in front. Andy Drury sent the ball in from the left, Damien Delaney nodded it back and Barnett headed to the edge of the area from where Grant Leadbitter volleyed home his third goal in two games and his fourth of the season.

Town might have had a penalty in the 22nd minute when Lee Martin looked to have been fouled although without going to ground. Referee Gary Sutton signalled somewhat vaguely for a goalkick with some in the crowd mistakenly thinking he had awarded a spotkick.

In the 27th minute, Lee Frecklington made an important challenge on Martin after Edwards had found him inside the area following an impressive run in from the right. After the frenetic start the game had settled down and chances were by now rarer.

Posh got back on terms in the 34th minute when Boyd broke down the left and played a pass into the path of Barnett, who flicked the ball past the advancing Alex McCarthy and over the line before Delaney could reach it with his despairing dive.

There was a further scare for the Blues a minute later when Tommy Smith, one of the two Town players sent off in the 7-1 defeat at London Road in August, played a backpass to McCarthy but failing to spot Taylor. The Peterborough striker got on the ball but the Blues keeper was alive to it and took the ball away from him.

The goal had swung the impetus very much in the visitors’ direction, McCarthy saving shots from first Taylor and then Frecklington. At the other end, Martin’s shot from a tight angle was blocked, the ex-Manchester United man having swapped roles with Emmanuel-Thomas.

Two minutes before the break, Chopra was inches from putting the Blues ahead for the second time. Martin crossed from the right, Murphy headed back from the far post and Chopra nodded just wide.

As the half moved into injury time, Posh should have gone in front. Skipper Grant McCann wafted a freekick from the right to the far post and Barnett headed over when he should have netted his second of the game.

The 1-1 scoreline flattered the Blues at the break with most of the game’s best chances having been created by the visitors, although Town had had one or two moments of their own in an open 45 minutes which could potentially have been something like 5-3.

For the visitors, Rowe will have been asking himself how he missed his header, while Barnett might have had a hat-trick and Chopra will feel he ought to have done better with his two headers.

Blues keeper McCarthy did well to stop Boyd’s low shot from the left in the 50th minute with the second half starting in much the same open way as the first had ended. Chances though were rarer and match became scrappy, Chopra hitting Town’s first strike well wide on the hour mark.

Frecklington picked up the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Cresswell on halfway in the 64th minute. While the Blues prepared to take the freekick, Lee Bowyer replaced Emmanuel-Thomas for Town and Daniel Kearns took over from Lee Tomlin for Posh.

Chopra had another great opportunity in the 67th minute but blazed over from 12 yards from Martin’s ball in from the right. Ryan Stevenson replaced Drury on 71.

Town again went close in the 73rd minute when Martin hit a weak shot from the edge of the area, which Chopra turned on to the bar. Peterborough were fortunate that the loose ball didn’t fall to a Blue shirt with the home side now starting to get on top.

But a Town goal wasn’t too much longer in coming. Martin sent over a corner from the left, Craig Alcock got in ahead of Smith but could only divert it to Delaney. Jones saved the defender’s header but Murphy was on hand to nod home his third goal of the campaign.

The Blues were good for their lead on the balance of the second half, but on 83 Peterborough again got back on terms. Boyd crossed from the left and sub Emile Sinclair got ahead of Delaney and Smith to stab home.

But parity didn’t last long with left-back Cresswell putting the Blues back in front with his first goal for Town only two minutes later. The 22-year-old hit a 25-yard strike which cannoned off Posh centre-half Zakuani and into the net. On 88 Jason Scotland replaced Chopra.

Jones saved from Scotland down to his left on 89, Bowyer chipping the loose ball into the box but beyond any of his team-mates.

Posh came close to an equaliser in injury time when McCarthy appeared to be fouled by Shaun Brisley as he went for a cross. The loose ball fell to the excellent Boyd but somehow the midfielder looped it on to the roof of the net rather than between the keeper-less posts. Referee Sutton had in any case signalled a freekick and moments later his whistle went to confirm Town’s fourth home win a row.

While Peterborough had been the better side in the first period, the Blues were largely on top during what was a scrappier second. Both sides missed chances galore in a game which could have been a basketball score had the likes of Barnett and Chopra been on top form.

A thrashing to avenge the 7-1 defeat at London Road was never on the cards with the Blues not at their best, but manager Paul Jewell will be delighted to see his side record another home win and continue their recent run of good form.

Town: McCarthy, Edwards, Smith, Delaney, Cresswell, Drury (Stevenson 71), Leadbitter, Emmanuel-Thomas (Bowyer 65), Martin, Murphy, Chopra (Scotland 88). Subs: Lee-Barrett, Sonko, Stevenson, Bowyer.

Peterborough: Jones, Alcock, Brisley, Zakuani, Rowe, McCann (Sinclair 78), Frecklington (Little 78), Boyd, Tomlin (Kearns 65), Taylor, Barnett. Subs: Lewis, Ball. Referee: Gary Sutton (Lincoln). Att: 17,927 (Posh: 831).

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