Shrimps fall to Posh defeat

The Shrimps suffered their first defeat of the season after losing 3-0 to promotion favourites Peterborough United at the Weston Homes Stadium. 

Goals from Joe Ward, Ben Thompson and Hector Kyprianou gave Grant McCann’s the points.

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Both sides started lively, but it was the away side who had the first sight of an opening. A delicious through ball from Cole Stockton tried to find Jensen Weir on the run but Posh goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom was there to mop up the danger. 

The home side turned on the style from there. Jack Marriott was set away down the Shrimps’ left-hand side, the forward managed to squeeze a cross which evaded everyone bar Ben Thompson at the far-post, who forced Connor Ripley into a big one-on-one save. 

Peterborough took the lead on the ninth minute through Ward, he picked the ball up 25-yards out and unleashed a right-footed effort found the bottom-right corner of the goal.

Stockton had a great opportunity to equalise on 17 minutes, when he was played through by Ash Hunter but the Shrimps’ striker was met by Bergstrom who was there to make an excellent one-on-one save. 

Thompson tried his luck from outside the box forcing Ripley into a save down to his right, and moments later Marriott broke free in the box, again, forcing Ripley into a smart save from close range. 

Two minutes before half-time, the hosts doubled their lead. 

A free-kick on the edge of the box by Jonson Clarke-Harris was too hot to handle for Ripley, the ball fell to Thompson who managed to squeeze his effort into the bottom-right corner.

Ten minutes after the restart Posh were awarded a penalty after Ripley brought down Clarke-Harris, however the linesman on the near side cut their elation short, as he flagged for an offside in the build-up. 

On the 64th minute, Ripley was there again to make a fantastic point-blank save, a cross from the left by Taylor was met on the head by Clarke-Harris, who was denied by by the Shrimps goalkeeper. 

Moments later Hunter came close again. The ball dropped to the number 10 inside the six-yard box but Bergstrom again made himself big and managed smuggle the ball away from danger. 

McCann’s side added their third on the 72nd minute, as a through ball from Marriott found Kyprianou on the run, who guided his effort into the bottom-left corner of the Shrimps goal. 

Late on, Shane McLoughlin found Jon Obika in the area, but the forward volleyed over the bar.