A last minute own goal gave Peterborough United all three points in an epic 5-4 victory over Swindon.Gary Johnson was able to select his captain Grant McCann after he was back from suspension. Arron Davies also joined the starting line-up, ahead of Chris Whelpdale, on the right hand side as Lee Tomlins replacement after the former Rushden man picked up a red card last week against Hartlepool. Tommy Rowe was named in the starting eleven, at left back, after coming back from injury.Swindon Town manager Danny Wilson named the same starting line-up as the one that won against Bristol Rovers during the week. Charlie Austin remained on the bench as he looks to regain full match fitne s after injury with Vincent Pericard playing as the lone striker in Swindons 4-5-1 formation.Posh are not the best starters, they hadnt scored before the 36th minute up until now, but the hosts started this game perfectly with CRAIG MACKAIL-SMITH putting them into the lead after just three minutes. The striker headed the ball beyond David Lucas in the Swindon goal after some magnificent build-up between Frecklington, McLean and Davies, on the right hand-side, before Mark Little cro sed the ball straight onto Mackails-Smith head.The London Road crowd didnt have to wait long before they were celebrating another goal either. This time it was a good finish from CRAIG MACKAIL-SMITH after a lovely through ball from Grant McCann sent him one-on-one. Two goals in five minutes had put Peterborough in a very dominant position and they were obviously playing with confidence after such a fantastic start.Even with Posh firmly in the ascendancy the game was still stretched and appeared to have more goals in it. Matty Ritchie, on the left wing, was the first Swindon Town player to test Joe Lewis but the Peterborough United keepermade a good save from the long range effort.The game appeared to be all over in the 22nd minute when LEE FRECKLINGTON, returning from injury, was sent clean through on goal after some excellent hold-up play from Aaron McLean and he made no mistake to put Posh 3-0 in-front. It should have been game over and had Swindon been playing anyone else but Peterborough United it probably would have been too.Peterborough United were playing with confidence now and there were a few oles coming from the home crowd who were expecting their team to go on and reach a cricket score. However, it was the away side who scored the next goal. Kevin Amakwaah burst down the right hand side before pa sing the ball to DAVID BALL who highlighted Poshs defensive weakne ses by turning his marker far too easily before firing the ball beyond Lewis.Danny Wilson had seen his team collapse far too easily but this goal had given them some sort of hope of getting an unlikely point and Wilson chose to bring Charlie Austin on for Vincent Pericard in the hope the clinical striker could fire Swindon back into the game.All of a sudden the home side looked really nervous when they shouldnt have done and Swindon capitalised on this by decreasing the lead down to just one goal after previously looking as if they were completely out of the game. This time it was MATTY RITCHIE who smashed home a shot from 25 yards. In truth it was poor from Grant McCann who allowed Ritchie to obtain po se sion by dallying in the ball on the edge of his own area and although Lewis managed to get a hand to the shot it had too much power for him to be able to keep it out.Errors were creeping into Poshs game now and there was a horrible sense of nervousne s around London Road that was showing in Peterborough Uniteds play on the pitch. The home side were making errors now after looking so confident before Swindon had started their revival. These mistakes lead to The Robins equaliser as well. A slip from Tommy Rowe, when he had time on the ball, allowed DAVID BALL to charge down on goal before slotting the ball beyond Joe Lewis to level the scores just before half-time.It was a first half that had seen Posh look as if they were strolling to a comfortable victory to one which meant that Peterborough Uniteds character would be tested heavily. Somehow they had let a three goal lead slip in le s than 25 minutes after playing so well to establish a three goal cushion. It Gump Worsley Jersey was also a half which highlighted the inconsistency that had been a real worry throughout the season so far.Danny Wilson used his second substitution of the match at half-time and it was a le s than conventional one. He subbed goal-keeper David Lucas, who had been beaten three times in the first half, and brought on play-off hero Phil Smith.Both sides were looking for a fourth to gain a lead in a topsy-turvy game and the game, as a result, was stretched. George Boyd came close for Peterborough with a glancing header but Swindon also created a clear-cut-chance that Simon Ferry wasted hitting the Corey Perry Jersey ball softly and straight at Joe Lewis.Posh would gain the advantage once again though when Mark Littles mazy run created space and he found Nana whos deep cro s found its way to Tommy Rowe. The former Stockport winger still had to do a lot of work to get the ball back acro s but he managed to beat Amakwaah before firing a ball acro s goal which found GEORGE BOYD who smashed it beyond Paul Smith, the substitute, in the Swindon goal.The Robins hadnt given up yet though after already seeing Peterboroughs defensive frailties and Joe Lewis was called into action moments after The Posh had restored their advantage. Lewis managed to save well after a close-range header from the usually deadly Charlie Austin.Peterborough havent got the best disciplinary record in the division after two red cards in quick succe sion and there were fears that they would be reduced to ten once again when Lee Frecklington mistimed a tackle on Jonathon Douglas. The Swindon captain had to be replaced by David Prutton, a fellow former Leeds player, as a result of the tackle and Frecklington was substituted for Nana as a result of the caution he picked up for the foul.The hosts were under pre sure once again with Swindon gaining the upper hand. It was as a result of this pre sure that the away side gained a penalty through a hand-ball from Charlie Lee in the area. CHARLIE AUSTIN stepped up to take the penalty and it was never in doubt even before as the fans spotted the number 32 emerge as the leading candidate step up for the spot kick. Austin, in typically composed fashion, stepped up a sent Lewis the wrong way to level the scores as 4-4.It looked as if the home side should have had a penalty of their own moments later however when George Boyd was upended. The referee deemed the foul to be outside the area, despite the Posh fans and players protests, and awarded a free-kick. Grant McCann came mighty close to scoring with it but his shot drifted just wide of Smiths far post.It was a game of attackers versus defenders heading into the final stages as Swindon appeared to be happy with a very hard earned point and had a lot of men behind the ball. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing was Poshs most threatening player, after coming on for Arron Davies, and it was his pace that allowed him to break past Swindons last ditch defending before lashing a cro s straight acro s goal. The cro s hit the unfortunate KEVIN AMAKWAAH and deflected into the back of the net to send the Peterborough United fans into delirium.This time there would not be long enough for Swindon to gain an equaliser and the referee brought the thrilling game to a close. Both teams had shown a combination of brilliant attacking prowe s and awful defending in the ninety minutes and the final whistle came as a mighty relief for the Peterborough United fans.This game just highlights our inconsistencies. All through the season we have looked brilliant one game and awful the next and both these sides to Peterborough United were shown in the 90 minutes. It may well cost us if we keep on playing in this style and we must learn to add a defensive side to our game if we want to achieve promotion, certainly if we are striving to win the division. Having said this it is certainly entertaining, doing some maths on my way home I worked out we are on course to score 107 goals and concede 86 times in the league this season if we keep up our current scoring record.The emotions at the final whistle show why we pay our money to watch our team play though. Just about every emotion was felt during the game that a football fan can feel and it resulted in euphoria at the final whistle. Credit, therefore, most go out to Swindon who played well and looked threatening on the break although they appear to suffer from the same defensive weakne ses as we do.Whatever happens this season, strap yourself in because were in for a rollercoaster ride followingThePosh!
https://cruzdtiv76420.designi1.com/42007542/euro-2012-what-did-we-learn-about-england
Click here