MATCH REPORT: Peterborough United 2-2 Bradford City

A place in the third round draw beckoned for two League One sides facing very different league form thus far. Posh faced the Bantams for the second time in as many weeks and as things turned out, will meet yet again in a replay.

Peterborough started the brighter with Ivan Toney stinging the palms of the visiting keeper with a crisp shot. He wouldn’t have to wait too much longer for his goal, as he ran onto a beautiful cross from Maddison and even though the keeper gained a despairing glove on the ball, it still found the back of the net.

Dembele once again was full of bright, intricate play and was rewarded as Toney threaded a pass through to him and with the aid of the post Posh made it 2-0 in first-half stoppage-time.

As we’ve seen before this season, Posh took their foot off the accelerator in thinking a two-goal lead would be enough. With Bradford’s lack of attacking verve, you could kind of forgive them for such thoughts. However, in the FA Cup not only does form go out of the window, magical goals/moments can transpire within any round. Boro found this out to their detriment. Well into the last ten minutes, Mellor nearly 30-yards out lifted a delightful effort past Chapman into the top corner of the net.

Fortune favoured the brave, as riding a crest-of-a-wave Bradford gained an improbable equaliser. Colville thought he’d have a stab at goal from a similar distance as Mellor and a deflection deceived an already committed Chapman before finding the net.

Many strange things were present in this game from a Peterborough perspective. Ward played a full-back role, an alien position to him, even though he adapted adequately as the game wore on. News sources stated that Evans supposedly used Maddison as a scapegoat, slating him for not tracking back. 1) Evans shouldn’t be slagging off his players to the media, he is not the third-tier Mourinho. 2) Maddison along with Toney and Dembele offered everything enterprising within the attacking third, so why exit him from where he is excelling. Woodyard seems to have followed on from previous incarnations of captain’s curse. Forrester and Baldwin have suffered from the same affliction in previous campaigns. He seems unable to communicate to team-mates, reluctant to receive the ball, as a holding midfielder/captain such things should be part of his DNA.

All in all it means an extra game in an already crowded festive period as Posh’s ‘World Series’, with Bradford roars on.

Saturday 1st December 2018, FA Cup 2nd Round.

PETERBOROUGH UNITED 2-2 BRADFORD CITY  Att. 3,750

Toney 29, Dembele 45+1           Mellor 84, Conville 89

Line-up- Chapman, Ward, Tafazolli, Bennett, Daniel, Maddison, Reed (O’Hara 86), Woodyard, Dembele (Naismith 79), Godden (Cummings 70), Toney.

words Ian McFarlane, D3D4 Peterborough United correspondent