Jonson Clarke-Harris missed a penalty as Town and Peterborough remain locked at 0-0 at half-time.

Town boss Paul Lambert made one enforced change with Aaron Drinan replacing James Norwood up front.

Norwood dropped out of the 18 having felt some fatigue in his previously injured hamstring during last Saturday’s 1-0 win at Burton.

Kayden Jackson was also not in the squad having missed training earlier in the week due to thigh and hip injuries.

Winger Luke Thomas, who signed from Barnsley in the week, was among the subs, as was Jon Nolan, who had previously been out with a calf problem. Town’s other new loan signing, Josh Harrop, is self-isolating having tested positive for Covid-19.

Posh made one change from the team which beat Charlton 2-1 in midweek with midfielder Reece Brown coming in for Ethan Hamilton, who was among the subs.

After the two teams had taken a knee in support of Black Lives Matter, the game got under way with Peterborough controlling the early stages but without either keeper being tested.

Town gradually began to show more and on 16 Teddy Bishop won a free-kick five yards outside the penalty area to the right. The ball was played short to the midfielder on the edge of the area, where he worked himself space to hit a shot which deflected wide.

Five minutes later, former Posh wideman Gwion Edwards won a free-kick on the left, although the decision looked harsh on the visitors, and Alan Judge scraped a strike past Christy Pym’s right post with the keeper never looking in any trouble.

Clarke-Harris struck a powerful 25-yard free-kick only just over Tomas Holy’s cross-bar in the 25th minute but with the Town keeper similarly unflustered.

Just before the half hour, Sammie Szmodics, under pressure from Dozzell, was able to turn the ball into the path of Siriki Dembele breaking down the left. The former Grimsby striker took it on into the area and hit a shot which looked to be going wide before Holy’s right hand made sure.

In the 33rd minute the visitors were handed a golden opportunity to go in front when Toto Nsiala lunged in to make a challenge on Dembele in the area. Referee Antony Coggins didn’t appear to be that interested until his assistant on the right-hand side after a long wait waved his flag and the Oxfordshire-based official pointed to the spot.

However, fortunately for the Blues, Clarke-Harris smashed his penalty very powerfully straight down the middle but too high.

The visitors didn’t seem unduly affected by their penalty miss and in the 43rd minute again weren’t far away from the opening goal.

Dan Butler’s whipped over a free-kick from the right which somehow avoided everyone in the area and flashed past the far post.

Just before the whistle, Jack Taylor was booked for a foul on Bishop inside the centre circle as the Blues broke.

A not particularly memorable half with neither side having recorded a shot on target with the visitors’ penalty the only really significant opportunity, although Dembele might feel he could have done better with his earlier chance.

Prior to the penalty, the Blues had started play more in the Peterborough half but without being able to create a chance and having had a tendency to give the ball away. Posh seemed buoyed by their penalty, even if they had missed it and had looked more threatening in the spell which followed.

Town: Holy, Chambers (c), Nsiala, McGuinness, Ward, Dozzell, Downes, Bishop, Judge, Drinan, Edwards. Subs: Cornell, Woolfenden, Kenlock, Huws, Nolan, Thomas, Sears.

Peterborough: Pym, Butler, Thompson, Beevers (c), Kent, Taylor, Clarke-Harris, Dembele, Brown, Szmodics, Kanu. Subs: Gyollai, Eisa, Broom, Burrows, Jones, Hamilton, Mason. Referee: Antony Coggins (Oxfordshire).

Photo: Matchday Images

multiplescoregasms added 16:01 - Jan 23 Pretty dreadful
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DifferentGravy added 16:02 - Jan 23 Good points - First 20 we closed down and had a handful of dangerous set pieces Bad Points - Toto struggling with pace of forwards. Chambers dreadful. Lack of creation once again
2

TimmyH added 16:03 - Jan 23 No chances created in open play says it all...pretty much the same against Burton last week.
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Karlosfandangal added 16:14 - Jan 23 Nsiala again liability get Woolfenden on
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Suffolkboy added 16:28 - Jan 23 What a shame that with the scores level , and everything to play for in the second half , we find comments which seem not only negative but almost forcefully destructive ! Everybody's circumstances right now mean we are looking for good , even great results from our favourite Footy Club , but just what will ever satisfy or even just placate the inveterate ‘moaners ‘ ? So long as we can see everyone on the pitch is doing their level best let's give wholehearted encouragement ! COYB

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BettyBlue added 16:28 - Jan 23 0-0
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TimmyH added 16:31 - Jan 23 Not 1 shot on goal until an own goal by us...in 71 minutes!!!
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Linkboy13 added 16:40 - Jan 23 According to Moose on Talk Sport we haven't laid a glove on Peterborough. ToTo strikes again what has he got to do to prove he's just not good enough against the better teams in this league. Probably one of the few players who gets on with the Manager ?.
1

featherhead added 16:44 - Jan 23 Lambert is clueless.
1

bluechelmsford9 added 16:45 - Jan 23 Why make the subs as late as we have in the game? They are having an impact but we haven't given them enough time (fear it's too little too late).
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buzbyblue added 16:46 - Jan 23 Shambert Theme tune; And now, the end is near And so I face the final curtain My friend, I'll say it clear I'll state my case, of which I'm certain I've lived a life that's full I traveled each and every highway And more, much more than this, I did it my way Regrets, I've had a few But then again, too few to mention I did what I had to do And saw it through without exemption I planned each charted course Each careful step along the byway And more, much more than this, I did it my way Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew When I bit off more than I could chew But through it all, when there was doubt I ate it up and spit it out I faced it all and I stood tall and did it my way 4-5-1 way of the Shambert

1

BeattiesBackPocket added 16:53 - Jan 23 @suffolkboy you're apathy is exactly what's wrong you come on criticising fans on here because they're not happy with the direction the football club is going both on an off the pitch where some of us want to see more! No shots on target poor quality on show and we have to be grateful? You're everything that's wrong with our club APATHY towards impending doom or Evans in disguise I'm unsure

4

barryblue added 16:55 - Jan 23 oh dear, nothing changes does it
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barryblue added 16:58 - Jan 23 buzbyblue,,, very apt
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Buryblue78 added 17:02 - Jan 23 We are so pi*s poor up front that they can beat us without even having a single shot on target Still if you only play one up top at home and can't manage to create anything you get what you deserve Just after halftime sums us up We had a freekick on halfway 5 backwoods passes later Holy hoofs it to halfway where we have to compete for a header!!! What is that all about Lambert you plum

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bernie added 18:06 - Jan 23 Can't see anything different against Sunderland, surely it plain to see they are not playing for the manager !! Peterborough first away win in six , simply not good enough . I know it will cost a few quid to get rid of the manager but surly it will pay dividends .
1

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