Posh Savaged
Without ever reaching the heights of Saturday’s statement win in Devon, where Plymouth were comprehensively dismantled in the best performance of an increasingly interesting season, Town overcame a spirited and bravely naive Peterborough to join Stockport at the top of the League One table.
Despite a scoreline suggesting overwhelming dominance, the performance was flatter than inspiring, as fatigue permeated the team, who struggled to find any rhythm for long periods, particularly in a turgid first half which faded after the promise of an early goal.
Three games in a week are challenging for most teams, and though it was hardly akin to crossing the international dateline, Town’s furthest trip of the season seemed to have drained more than a few players and, tellingly, led to the exclusion of Radulovic altogether.
Though the opposition were lowly after a tough start to the season, the fabled new-manager bounce was evident in an enthusiastic Posh side who caused Town problems until they perhaps inevitably self-immolated at crucially inappropriate moments.
For the hosts, individualism was more to the fore than the impressive teamwork on display at the weekend, with flashes of inspiration proving the difference on a slick surface doused in autumnal rain.
The promise of a dazzling night under the lights seemed likely to come to fruition when an excellent delivery from a free kick evaded a flat-footed visiting defence, as any one of four unmarked home players could have converted. Bronckhurst beat them all to the ball and slotted home his first Huddersfield Town goal.
Sadly, that was the high point of a first half which became increasingly untidy, only occasionally lit up by the extraordinary skills of Sanches Fernandez, extricating himself from the pressure of multiple opponents in tight spots.
To their credit, Peterborough didn’t crack after the setback and carried some threat, even if their efforts tended to peter out on contact with Town’s defence, with Young having little to save in the home goal.
Interestingly, and indicative of a mindset which always seemed likely to be the catalyst for their downfall, the Cambridgeshire outfit left one or two men up front at Town corners – a tactic of old which has long needed reviving.
Despite the ploy going unrewarded, it did illustrate Robbie Savage’s intent to take the game to the higher-placed opponents, and a similar approach against lesser opposition could well reward the much derided pundit-provocateur in the future. If he is to succeed at London Road, however, his touchline theatrics need quashing.
An unconvincing first half finished with Town in the lead, but far from comfortable, and Radulovic was certainly missed as his replacement, Fletcher, lumbered through proceedings to little discernible effect.
While Town started the second half brightly (despite the new and annoying rugby-union style kick-off into touch), with Humphreys hitting a promisingly placed free kick over the bar, Peterborough began to cause some consternation among an unconvinced home crowd and seemed the more likely next scorers.
Taylor, however, who had cast a sulking shadow when things didn’t go his way in the first half, brilliantly pounced on an errant pass just over the halfway line and darted into the wide, inviting space between him and the goalkeeper before slipping the ball past the floundering Bass.
It was a slightly undeserved lead, but the exploitation of an arguably over-expansive opponent had always felt possible, and Taylor’s dynamic opportunism was exactly what should be demanded from a high-priced acquisition. With eight goals to date, the frustrations he can bring can be forgiven.
Irritatingly, doubling the advantage did not subdue Posh, who continued to press for a goal and were rewarded just a couple of minutes later when a slip at the back allowed the ball to reach Leonard, who squeezed a good effort past Roughan’s half-hearted attempt to block and beyond Young’s reach.
True to form, through bitter experience, anxiety crept into the home crowd. Their discomfort wasn’t to last long, though, as a great move begun by Sanches Fernandez set substitute Harness free down the right, and his sweeping ball into the box was met by Taylor to complete his brace.
This time, the visitors were subdued by the gap that had opened up, and Town punished them further when a final flourish from Sanches Fernandez dazzled: he controlled an errant clearance, immediately and threateningly pivoted, and drove towards retreating and terrified defenders before slipping in Mumba for a fourth.
The scorer was one of the individual successes of the evening, capping a defensively sound performance with a well-deserved goal and finally showing some of the form for which he was acquired in January.
Mumba’s efforts, along with those of the constantly involved Collins, another individual standout, the predation of Taylor and the magic of DSF, secured Town the three points and continued their good start to the season.
A more convincing home victory against strugglers Wigan on Saturday would be very welcome before the looming showdown at Valley Parade.
