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Preview: Peterborough v Grimsby

By: Kevin Dolan
Date: 26/10/2006

ON the back of a hugely demoralising home defeat, Grimsby Town face another tricky task this Saturday when they travel to face Peterborough.

Home > 2006-2007 Season > Previews > Peterborough (a)


The Opposition

Overview
After promotion in 1999/2000, Peterborough spent five seasons in (the now) League 1 before being relegated to League 2 at the end of the 2004/05 season. Last season they made a reasonable effort to get straight back; but after flirting with the play offs for most of the season, ended up finishing ninth. Off field issues didn’t help with three different managers being in charge during the season. With Peterborough in the play off places in January, Mark Wright was sacked for gross misconduct after only 8 months at the club (the court case is still ongoing). Steve Bleasdale then took over as caretaker manager, won his first game in charge (a 2-1 win at Blundell Park), and kept Posh on the fringe of the play offs before quitting with two games of the season to go, blaming problems with Chairman Barry Fry and intrusion from Ron Atkinson who was now an advisor (whilst making a TV documentary on the club). Fry then took over for the remaining games of the season.

After leaving Lincoln City, Keith Alexander (left) was appointed manager in the summer and last month Fry steeped aside as Chairman (becoming Director of Football), allowing Darragh MacAnthony to take over with plans to significantly invest in the club. The new chairman has already signalled his intentions and the club recently made an amazing £1million bid for MK Dons’ striker Izale McLeod, which was turned down by the player. The club then turned their attention to Swansea’s Leon Knight, but he has also rejected the move.

The Team
Peterborough currently lie in 7th place, seven points from the automatic promotion spots and nine points ahead of Town. Despite the reasonably good position, Posh have had some very erratic results; recording impressive wins at Swindon and MK Dons, but conceding five against both Walsall and Hartlepool. Recently they looked to be putting a run together, but a run of three straight victories was ended with defeat at Wycombe. Overall, their home form is patchy, winning only three of their seven home games, and they are the only team in the top 10 with a negative goal difference.

Ben Futcher (left) signed for Peterborough from Town in August after only 7 months at Blundell Park; but was injured almost straight away and has only been used as substitute in recent weeks. Ex-Lincoln striker and Town target Simon Yeo joined up with Alexander in the summer, but is out with a long-term injury, whilst Danny Crow has struggled to live up to last season’s 18-goal tally with only two so far this season. Liam Davis and Ben Turner, both on loan from Coventry, are also likely to feature.

Key Player
Well-travelled striker Trevor Benjamin has seen his fortunes significantly change under Alexander and he is their top scorer with seven goals. Once bought by Leicester for £1.5m, Benjamin spent the majority of last season on loan, but has been made a regular this season and benefited from the more direct style that has been introduced.

Recent Form

TownPeterborough
LNotts Co(h)0-2
WLincoln(a)0-0 (5-3p) (JPT)
LSwindon(a)0-3
WHereford(a)2-1
DDarlington(a)2-2
Currently 21st in League Two.
LWycombe(a)0-2
WShrewsbury(h)2-1
WMK Dons(a)2-0
WStockport(a)1-0
DBarnet(h)1-1
Currently 6th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownPeterborough
Peter Bore4
Gary Jones3
Benjamin7

Team News

TownPeterborough

  • Tony Thorpe plays the last game of his current loan spell before returning to Stevenage, although Graham Rodger is likely to use Peter Bore in an attacking role.

  • Ricky Ravenhill is available after serving a one-match ban.

  • Phil Barnes, Tom Newey and Paul Bolland all took knocks in the Notts County game and are said to be major doubts.
  • After failure to secure either McLeod or Knight, the home side are unlikely to add a new striker before Saturday.

  • Apart from the absent Simon Yeo, there are no injury / suspension worries.
  • Probable Teams

    TownPeterborough
    1Phil Barnes
    20Gary Croft
    5Nick Fenton
    17Andy Butler
    3Tom Newey
    12Ricky Ravenhill
    16Danny Boshell
    8Paul Bolland
    10Ciaran Toner
    18Peter Bore
    19Gary Jones
    1Mark Tyler
    3Jude Stirling
    24Ben Turner
    5Guy Branston
    4Mark Arber
    7Adam Newton
    8Richard Butcher
    12Liam Davis
    11Peter Gain
    10Trevor Benjamin
    16Danny Crow

    Subs

    TownPeterborough
    13Robert Murray
    2John McDermott
    4Gary Harkins
    23Nick Hegarty
    27Tony Thorpe
    23Ben Futcher
    18Shane Huke
    9Justin Richards
    2Dean Holden
    15Lloyd Opara

    Head to Head

    The Mariners have a mixed record against Peterborough, but have only lost one of the last six league meetings at London Road.

    P 37 W 11 D 13 L 13 F 51 A 52

    Peterborough Head-to-Head (57th on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    The last time Town visited London Road was during the record breaking away run at the start of last season when Gary Jones’ 2nd half goal set up Town’s sixth straight away win.

    Peterborough0 -1Grimsby
      G Jones 48

    Grimsby Team: Mildenhall, McDermott, Whittle, R Jones, Croft, Cohen (Barwick, 46), Kalala, Bolland, Parkinson (Gritton, 45), Reddy, G Jones (Newey, 79)
    Subs (not used): Ramsden, Crane

    Peterborough Team: Tyler, St Ledger, Burton, Arber, Holden, Newton, Carden, Gain, Farrell (Semple, 74), Quinn (Benjamin, 67), Logan (Crow, 59)
    Subs: (not used) Harrison, Plummer

    Attendance: 4,263  Report

    Prediction

    Peterborough 2-0 Town

    Reader's POMs

    Directions

    Click on the link for directions to London Road (left).

    Pubs and Grub

    Click on the link for pubs close to to London Road.

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