Awful Portsmouth suffer defeat at promotion rivals Peterborough

Goals from former Blues player Dan Butler and the outstanding Ivan Toney settled this afternoon’s London Road encounter 2-0 in Posh’s favour.

It was no more than the hosts deserved, with Toney unplayable and Siriki Dembele also wreaking havoc against poor Pompey.

Kenny Jackett’s men barely threatened and were fortunate the scoreline was kept down to 2-0, a feat achieved thanks to Alex Bass.

Worryingly, it’s yet another away defeat following losses at Coventry and Fleetwood in recent weeks.

And the comfortable manner of Peterborough’s triumph provides addition concern for a club with ambitions of reaching the top two.

Still, it leaves the Blues sixth in League One, three points off second place.

With Christian Burgess suspended, Jack Whatmough was handed his first start for 13 months, one of three changes.

Pompey were first threatened on 24 minutes, when Whatmough was beaten in the air by Toney to get the ball to Sam Szmodics, whose angled right-footed shot was beaten out by Bass.

Moment’s later, Bass’ quick kick was misjudged by Nathan Thompson to put John Marquis clean through.

However, his powerful left-footed shot was spectacularly tipped behind by keeper Christy Pym.

Peterborough broke the deadlock on 32 minutes, after Siriki Dembele beat Whatmough on the byline to pull the ball back.

It eventually fell to Butler, whose angled left-footed shot flew into the top corner of the Blues’ net.

Then Bass was called upon to produce a brilliant point-blank stop to deny Toney from close range following a right-wing cross.

Jackett’s men were reeling and, on the stroke of half-time, a big clearance from a Pompey corner saw Dembele race past Whatmough with just Bass to beat.

However, the keeper’s challenge was enough to put the forward out of his stride, with the ball running out harmlessly for a goal kick.

Whatmough was replaced at the break, with Ross McCrorie coming on and James Bolton moving across to centre-back.

Jackett then made a second change on 55 minutes, with Andy Cannon on for Ben Close as the Blues attempted to find a way back into the match.

Pompey did pep up a little, but Peterborough were still far too comfortable and in control.

Then, with four minutes remaining, Toney held off Raggett to net with a spectacular strike, no more than his performance warranted.

And a 2-0 defeat raises more questions of whether this Jackett side is capable of automatic promotion.