PETERBOROUGH 2

(Taylor, 11) (Marriott, 90)

ROVERS 3

(Mulgrew, 47) (Dack, 50, 59)

A FANTASTIC 15 minute salvo from Rovers at the start of the second half saw Rovers earn a fifth consecutive league win courtesy of a 3-2 success at Peterborough United.

Rovers trailed at the break as Steven Taylor headed Posh in to an 11th minute lead in what was an entertaining affair.

Mulgrew drew Rovers level two minutes after the re-start before Bradley Dack scored twice in the space of nine minutes to put Tony Mowbray’s men in control.
Jack Marriott added a consolation for the hosts in the fourth minute of added time, with Jack Baldwin sent off late on, as nothing could deny Rovers victory.

Rovers made two changes to their side from the last league game against Blackpool with Dominic Samuel and Craig Conway returning. Samuel had an excellent chance just four minutes in to extending his goalscoring run, but after meeting a Richie Smallwood cross with his head inside the six yard box, he couldn’t trouble Jonathan Bond who watched it over the bar.

But the Posh keeper would make a terrific double save moments later to deny Bradley Dack on both occasions. Samuel and Dack linked up well on the edge of the box, with the latters half-volley palmed away by Bond who was quickly to his feet to deny the rebound just as the Rovers attacker look set to apply the finish.

And within a minute, the hosts were ahead. Steven Taylor found himself unmarked at the far post to meet Marcus Maddison’s fierce inswinging corner to nod beyond David Raya whose six yard was packed with players when the delivery came in.

Moments before that, Raya had denied Andrew Hughes with a neat stop, with the hosts enjoying plenty of space in between Rovers’ midfield and defence.

Gwion Edwards and Jack Marriott both failed to trouble the Rovers keeper with efforts from the edge of the box before Raya was forced to hold on to a dipping Maddison free-kick.

What was a very open game was bringing about few clear-cut chances, with Rovers getting in to some good positions without taking advantage. Dack was probing around the edge of the area, though a couple of driving runs from deep broke down as he entered the area.

Corry Evans, a replacement for the injured Peter Whittingham on the half hour mark, fired a shot over the bar in what his first contribution while Marcus Antonsson, booked for simulation moments before, saw a shot deflected in to the side netting.
The lively Edwards, on the left of Posh’s front three, drilled a shot wide of the target after more good play as the hosts went in search of a second.

Rovers were forced in to another change in the middle of the park as Willem Tomlinson came on for his first league action of the season. That was in place of Evans who sustained a knock moments before the interval.

But the game was turned on its head in a devastating opening to the second half from Rovers.

They were level two minutes in as Dack’s corner was flicked on at the near post and Charlie Mulgrew found himself unmarked at the back stick and couldn’t miss.

Three minutes later they found themselves ahead which owed much to the pressing of Richie Smallwood. He picked the pocket of Chris Forrester, fed Bradley Dack and after a neat one two between the pair Dack found himself free and able to slam the ball in to the corner.

And Dack would have his second, and Rovers their third, following an excellent counter-attack. They went from their own corner flag to the opposition goal in around 20 seconds as after collecting a Conway clearance he quickly fed Antonsson on the left who unselfishly played in Dack who fired in to the roof of the net.

Dack looked to repay the favour as Rovers went in search of a fourth but Antonsson’s curling effort was tipped around the post by Bond.

Conway was the next to benefit from Dack’s play, only to fire wide on the stretch with 20 minutes to go.

Peterborough, searching for a way back in to the game, made two substitutions and looked certain to reduce that deficit when they threatened from a set play. But after Tafazolli won the initial header from Maddison’s delivery the ball bobbled around the six yard box, only for the grateful Tomlinson to clear as Posh looked set to force it over the line.

Gwion Edwards continued to the hosts’ best player and good wing play with three minutes to go saw him cross for sub Danny Lloyd but on the stretch he couldn’t keep his header down to trouble Raya.

It stayed 3-1 shortly afterwards courtesy of an excellent Raya save, diving away to his right to keep out a Marriott header as he met Hughes’ cross.

There would be a few late nerves for Rovers however, as Jack Marriott reduced the arrears to one with a close range finish, though Posh would finish with 10 men as Jack Baldwin was shown a red card.