Peterborough United came from behind to take a slender lead into the second leg of their League Cup first round tie after strikes from Worrell Sterling and Kevin Bremner guided them to victory at Fulham this evening.
The Whites took the lead in the ninth minute after Peterborough goalkeeper Eddie Herbert managed to tip Peter Scott’s 25-yard striker onto the crossbar. Summer signing Francis Joseph, who set up John Marshall’s second half equaliser at Crewe on Saturday, was quickest to react – heading home his first goal for his new club from the rebound.
But the home side’s adoption of the sweeper system needs serious work. The Posh’s attackers were able to exploit the spaces in behind Fulham’s back three and posed problems for Fulham throughout. It was no surprise when Sterling punished slack marking to stab home a simple finish at the far post after Laurence Batty, again deputising for the injured Jim Stannard, spilled a shot from Noel Luke.
Worse was to follow immediately at the start of the second half. Batty blundered by charging off his line in a doomed attempt to reach a ball from Dale Watkins and Bremner looped a header over the stranded Fulham goalkeeper. Batty did make amends with two superb stops to prevent 21 year-old Steve Osborne from converting a couple of openings superbly set up by the bright Bremner.
Fulham pushed for an equaliser but debutant Herbert did brilliantly to claw away Mark Kelly’s clever chip. When Herbert was beaten by a deflected effort from Scott, the recalled Gerry McElhinney was on hand to clear off the line. Fulham chairman Jimmy Hill told the Craven Cottage faithful that the club could afford to buy a new striker, but they were waiting to find the right player. On the evidence of this deflating defeat, that signing can’t come soon enough.
FULHAM: Batty; Newson, Eckhardt, G. Thomas (Skinner 48), Pike, Kelly, Scott, Marshall, Baker, Cole (Langley 69), Joseph.
GOAL: Joseph (9).
PETERBOROUGH UNITED: Herbert; McElhinney, Oakes, Robinson (Watkins 45), Crosby, Luke, Halsall, Sterling, Butterworth, Osborne, Bremner.
GOALS: Sterling (37), Bremner (46).
ATTENDANCE: 2,736.
