MATCH REPORT: Fleetwood 2 Peterborough 0

It was a sparkling performance by Steven Pressley’s men who harassed, passed the ball with poise, pressed and suppressed a Peterborough side that have scored 68 times this season.

After a six game winless run it was a much needed three points for Pressley’s men after the disappointment of Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Swindon.

Town wasted a host of chances at the Robins but they punished the Posh with two impressive goals.

Burns netted his fifth goal in eight games as he opened the scoring in the 38th minute.

Burns was cool as a cucumber as he slid the ball past Ben Alnwick after playing a deft one-two with Bobby Grant and storming through on goal.

The Posh nearly did find a way back into the game against the run of play as they were awarded a controversial penalty.

Shaquile Coulthirst was running away from goal but went down in the box and referee Peter Bankes ruled that returning captain Nathan Pond had tripped the Posh player.

But Town’s annoyance at the decision was wiped away after Maxwell made a fine save to thwart Michael Bostwick.

The Posh captain drilled the ball down the middle but Maxwell stayed strong and managed to divert the ball away with his leg just three minutes before half-time.

It was a vital save and it buoyed Town on as they continued to beat Peterborough to the ball and boss the game in the second half.

Jonsson added the second in the 68th minute as he bravely nodded in an Alan Shearer-esque diving header at the back stick.

Jimmy Ryan’s free-kick was flicked-on by the boot of Pond and Jonsson bravely threw himself through the air to head home an put the game to bed.

The result moved Town above Blackpool on goal difference and into 19th in the table.

But with Oldham beating Swindon 2-0 the result leaves Town still one point above the drop zone.

Fleetwood Town’s starting line-up was boosted by the return of Pond and Antoni Sarcevic.

Pond had been absent from the starting 11 since February due to a thigh injury but after spending the last two games continuing his recovery on the bench Pond was ruled fit enough to start and returned to partner Stephen Jordan in the centre of defence.

Sarcevic had also missed the last few games due to a thigh injury but he and Pond both put in good performances and lasted the full 90 minutes.

Pond replaced centre-half Marcus Nilsson who moved to the bench and Sarcevic came in for former Peterborough player and Town striker David Ball who also started on the bench.

It was a lively start from both sides with Bobby Grant drilling the ball straight at Alnwick, Fleetwood shot-stopper Maxwell diving to his right to tip Marcus Maddison’s curling effort away and Wes Burns let fly from 30-yards out but his effort fizzed wide of the left stick. - all in the opening three minutes.

Bobby Grant tried the spectacular and nearly opened the scoring in the fifth minute as he forced Alnwick into a fingertip save.

Grant found himself in space wide on the right flank and his 30-yard dipping effort was just diverted away by the back-pedalling Posh keeper.

Bright spark Burns was a constant thorn in Peterborough’s side and he was chopped down on the left wing by Posh captain Michael Bostwick who was shown a yellow card for the bad challenge.

Jimmy Ryan’s subsequent set-piece flew dangerously towards the back-post but was met by a blue shirt with a host of Town players ready to pounce.

Ryan curled the ball wide of the right post from 25-yards out and Grant’s low strike was held by Alnwick after a nice team move that was engineered by Ryan, Scougall and Sarcevic.

After the thunderous start the game mellowed after the 15th minute with Town dominant but not creating many chances but the game soon sprang back into life.

Posh’s Aaron Williams’ shot was easily saved by Maxwell and Burns’ shot on the turn flew way over the bar and onto the roof of once of the terraced houses behind the goal.

Simon Gillett was booked for a late challenge on Conor McLaughlin on the right and Town created another chance from the free-kick.

Ryan’s ball in was cleared by Posh but Jonsson managed to pick up the loose ball and just slipped it to his right and into the path of Bobby Grant on the corner of the box but his low drive sailed wide of the right post in the 32nd minute.

Fleetwood finally got their goal just seven minutes before the break as the in-form Wes Burns coolly fired the ball home.

Burns played a neat one-two with Bobby Grant just outside the box that outfoxed the Peterborough defence and allowed Burns to use his electric pace to get himself ahead of the blue shirts and coolly slide the ball past Alnwick.

There was a heated moment as Stephen Jordan and Lee Angol squared up after Jordan felt Angol had led with his elbow.

The crowd chanted for a red card but the referee just awarded Town a set-piece and did not book Angol.

But the Posh nearly grabbed an equaliser out of nowhere after returning captain Pond was controversially ruled to have tripped Shaquile Coulthirst in the box in the 43rd minute.

The referee pointed to the spot but Maxwell was on hand to make a heroic and crucial save.

Posh captain Michael Bostwick stepped up to take and hammered the ball down the middle but Maxwell stood firm and managed to divert the ball away with his legs

Fleetwood started the second half on the front foot and Bobby Grant had three good opportunities in the opening six minutes but fired each opportunity off target.

His best was a move created by Sarcevic winning the ball in Posh’s half.

He fed Bobby Grant who slipped the ball inside to Burns and continued his run forward. Burns surged towards the box and teed-up Bobby Grant in the box, he took his time, rolled the ball onto his left foot and just curled the ball over the top corner.

Ryan tried to deceive the keeper as he looked to pass to Burns but changed his body angle at the last minute to go for goal from distance and the move nearly wrong-footed deceived Anwick as it swirled through the air but the keeper just clung on to the ball.

Angol was finally booked for tripping Ryan deep in Town’s half as the midfielder, once again, pulled the strings for Fleetwood in the middle of the park.

McLaughlin was left sprawled on the ground clutching his back in agony after a late challenge by Kgosietsile Ntle. But the defender was just shown a yellow card by referee Peter Bankes.

Town doubled their lead in the 68th minute as Jonsson popped up with a fine diving header at the back stick.

Bobby Grant had been taken out on the right flank by Gabriel Zavanki and Ryan whipped in the subsequent set-piece.

It was hooked on towards the back stick by Pond’s leg and Jonsson was on hand to throw himself through the air and nod the ball past Alnwick.

Bobby Grant’s angled shot from the right was batted away by Alnwick but the keeper’s clearance fell to a blue shirt rather than a red in the six-yard box.

Bobby Grant curled the ball over the bar in the 81st minute as Town searched for a third.

Burns was a whisker away from making it three as he raced with Alnwick to meet the ball in Peterborough’s half. Alnwick missed the ball but as Burns raced around the keeper to try and reach the ball and fire into an open goal he was just beaten by a Peterborough defender who had got back to cover.

Fleetwood: Maxwell, McLaughlin, Pond, Jordan, Bell, Ryan, Jonsson, Sarcevic, Scougall (Ball, 72) Burns (Forbes, 86) B Grant (Hunter, 90). Subs not used: Nilsson, Gogic, T Grant, Cole.

Peterborough: Alnwick, Smith, Ntle, Zavanki, Bostwick, Maddison, Beautyman, Gillett (Samuelson, 64), Angol (Nichols, 76), Coulthirst, Williams (Taylor, 54). Subs not used: Oztumer, Almeida-Santos, Tyler, Forrester.

Referee: Peter Bankes (Merseyside)

Attendance: 2134