Peterborough United

Peterborough sign Opara on loan
Peterborough signed 22-year-old striker Lloyd Opara on loan from Southern Premier Division side Cheshunt until the end of the season. Opara had previously spent time on trial at Premiership side Chelsea. "We've been trying to bring Lloyd to the club for a while and I am pleased to have signed him," Posh boss Steve Bleasdale told the club's website. "He will give us another option in attack, he is very quick and loves to get in behind the defence." The loan deal has been agreed with a view to a permanent move in the summer.

Oxford Utd 1-0 Peterborough
Jim Smith enjoyed a winning start to his second spell as Oxford manager as they saw off Peterborough. New signing Tcham N'Toya struck the winner on his debut, hitting an angled shot beyond Mark Tyler in the 67th minute to secure the three points. The margin could have been greater but Tyler made a series of fine saves, in particular from a Steve Basham header. James Quinn had Posh's best chance of getting a leveller, but his long-range effort was saved by Andrea Guatelli. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oxford Utd: Guatelli, Mansell, Willmott, Roget, Robinson, Quinn, Smith, Hargreaves, Burgess (Brooks 86), N'Toya (Horsted 73), Sills (Basham 53). Subs Not Used: Turley, Ashton. Goals: N'Toya 67. Peterborough: Tyler, St. Ledger, Arber, Bolland, Kennedy, Newton, Gain, Carden, Day (Opara 81), Crow, Logan (Quinn 40). Subs Not Used: Harrison, Farrell, Ryan. Booked: Tyler. Att: 7,486. Ref: R Beeby (Northamptonshire).

Legg to rejoin Posh as assistant
Peterborough caretaker boss Steve Bleasdale has appointed ex-Posh midfielder Andy Legg as his assistant until the end of the season. Legg, 39, left Posh last year after a cancerous tumour was found in his neck. However, after receiving a medical all-clear last October, the ex-Wales international recently returned to playing for Newport County. "Andy will now be coming in every day and helping me on match days," Bleasdale told Peterborough's website. "It will enable me to concentrate on the team for the weekend during the week, while Andy looks after other duties for me." Legg had already been helping Bleasdale in a scouting capacity.

Peterborough 0-1 Northampton
Scott McGleish's goal was enough to earn the points and keep Northampton's bid for automatic promotion on course. The former Posh striker found the net for the 20th time this season after dispossessing Sean St Ledger. Peterborough had penalty appeals waved aside after McGleish appeared to handle a St Ledger effort as he tried to redeem himself for his earlier error. Paul Carden twice tested Northampton goalkeeper Lee Harper after the break but the derby petered out scrappily. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Peterborough: Tyler, Holden (Ryan 27), Arber, Bolland, St. Ledger, Farrell, Newton, Carden, Gain, Crow (Semple 74), Opara. Subs Not Used: Kennedy, Kuqi, Harrison. Northampton: Harper, Crowe, Chambers, Doig, Bojic, Rowson, Hand, Johnson, McGleish (Gilligan 73), Lee, Smith. Subs Not Used: Kirk, Low, Jess, Hunt. Goals: McGleish 21. Att: 8,637 Ref: A Penn (W Midlands).

Holden frustrated by injury blow
Peterborough's play-off hopes have been hit by a double injury sustained by club captain Dean Holden. Holden went into Saturday's defeat by Northampton with a foot injury he had suffered in training - which has now been revealed to be a broken toe. The defender was then forced off the field against the Cobblers in the first-half by a hamstring injury. He is unsure when he will be fit to return to action and told Posh's website: "It is very frustrating."

Bury v Peterborough
Bury hope to have Dave Challinor and Dwayne Mattis back in action. Challinor, who has not missed a league game this season, picked up a foot injury against Macclesfield while Mattis has a hamstring problem. Peterborough are without captain Dean Holden and striker Richard Logan. Holden has a broken toe, while Logan is out with a hamstring injury. James Quinn is doubtful with a knee injury, winger Jamie Guy has a dead leg and Dave Farrell has a calf problem.

Bury 1-3 Peterborough
Bury slipped closer towards the relegation zone after being overpowered by play-off chasing Peterborough. Danny Crow scored for Posh on the stroke of half-time with his 14th goal of the season and Adam Newton doubled the lead with a low drive on the hour. Bury were handed a lifeline when Mark Arber brought down Lewis Gobern and Tom Kennedy scored from the spot. Crow grabbed his second of the game from close range in the dying minutes to seal the points. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bury: Schmeichel, Scott, Challinor, Woodthorpe, Kennedy, Gobern, Flitcroft, Barry-Murphy, Burns (Pugh 64), Youngs (Speight 83), Daly. Subs Not Used: Fitzgerald, Brass, Ross. Goals: Kennedy 66 pen. Peterborough: Tyler, Newton, Bolland, St. Ledger, Arber, Ryan, Semple (Farrell 28), Carden, Gain, Crow, Opara (Logan 76). Subs Not Used: Harrison, Huke, Kuqi. Booked: Crow. Goals: Crow 45, Newton 62, Crow 90. Att: 2,233 Ref: M Pike (Cumbria).

Peterborough 0-1 Boston Utd
Boston substitute Jamie Clarke volleyed the only goal to dent the play-off hopes of high-flying Peterborough. Boston keeper Michael Kuipers was tested only by a Mark Arber header before the break. After the interval, Posh's top scorer Danny Crow squandered a great chance after being released by David Farrell. But Clarke turned the game on its head, volleying past Tyler from 10 yards after Peterborough failed to clear a corner to give Boston victory. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Peterborough: Tyler, Newton, Bolland, Arber, St. Ledger, Ryan, Gain, Carden, Farrell, Logan (Opara 75), Crow. Subs Not Used: Harrison, Fry, Huke, Day. Booked: Carden, Bolland. Boston Utd: Kuipers, Canoville, Ellender, White, McCann, Rusk (Clarke 48), Greaves, Holland (Galbraith 90), Thomas, Joachim (Maylett 87), Dudfield. Subs Not Used: Melton, Chinn. Booked: McCann, White. Goals: Clarke 69. Att: 5,092 Ref: P Miller (Bedfordshire).

Rochdale 1-0 Peterborough
Iyseden Christie stepped off the bench to earn Rochdale victory in a dire affair at home to Peterborough. Christie struck with 18 minutes left, forcing home from close-range after Posh goalkeeper Mark Tyler spilled Rickie Lambert's 20-yard drive. Dale could have gone ahead before the break, but Tyler saved Chris Dagnall's shot after an incisive Lambert pass. Peterborough threatened briefly when they went behind but failed to register a single shot on goal at Spotland. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rochdale: Gilks, Ramsden, Griffiths, Jackson, Goodall, Cartwright, Cooksey (Doolan 68), Jones, Kitchen (Christie 68), Dagnall, Lambert. Subs Not Used: Warner, Gallimore, Boardman. Booked: Lambert. Goals: Christie 72. Peterborough: Tyler, Bolland, Arber, St. Ledger, Newton, Carden, Gain, Ryan, Farrell (Day 55), Logan (Opara 79), Crow. Subs Not Used: Harrison, Plummer, Huke. Att: 2,318 Ref: E Ilderton (Tyne & Wear).

Peterborough v Macclesfield
Peterborough have doubts over David Farrell (ankle) and Jamie Day (ankle), while Dean Holden (hamstring) is definitely out. Ryan Semple (thigh) is also a doubt, but James Quinn is in contention. Macclesfield will make changes after the defeat at Torquay, with defender Andy Teague back after illness. Striker Clyde Wijnhard (knee) is undergoing rehabilitation work at Lilleshall and goalkeeper Tommy Lee has returned to Manchester United.

Fry explains Bleasdale departure
Peterborough owner Barry Fry has explained how boss Steve Bleasdale made a late decision to resign just before Saturday's win over Macclesfield. "On Friday, Steve came to a board meeting, and clearly the dressing-room had a problem," Fry said. "I offered to pick the side for the Macclesfield game, and Steve was fine. "I spoke with him on Saturday, he was brilliant and and I put him on the team sheet as manager, but at 1.50pm, he sent me a text informing me he'd quit." Fry added: "I had said if we won, he could do the press conference, and if we lost I would do it. He agreed with all that, and he was ready for the game. "At 1.40pm, I went into the dressing-room and told the players what I wanted from them. "Everyone agreed, and 10 minutes later, Steve walked in and told the lads he had quit. "I am gutted for Steve because he had put a hell of a lot of effort in, and I would recommend him for any job." Bleasdale had said how he was unhappy at interference from a television programme being made at the club. "I won't have four or five people picking the team," he said.

Peterborough 3-2 Macclesfield
Peterborough won a five-goal thriller despite the shock resignation of boss Steve Bleasdale just before kick-off. Posh, with club owner Barry Fry taking charge, dominated early on but fell behind when John Miles hammered home. Danny Crow levelled from an Adam Newton cross and David Farrell put Posh 2-1 up with a header from Lloyd Opara's cross. Miles drew Macclesfield back to 2-2 from close range before Crow hit a last-gap winner for Posh after being set-up by Tim Ryan. Peterborough: Tyler, St. Ledger, Bolland (Opara 65), Arber, Ryan, Newton, Carden, Gain, Day (Farrell 61), Logan, Crow. Subs Not Used: Harrison, Plummer, Fry. Booked: Ryan. Goals: Crow 71, Farrell 83, Crow 90. Macclesfield: Deasy, Brightwell, Morley, Teague, Sandwith, Harsley, McIntyre, Navarro, Bullock (Miles 20), Richardson (Townson 72), McNeil. Subs Not Used: Briscoe, McDonald, Smart. Booked: McIntyre. Goals: Miles 62, 89. Att: 3,002 Ref: P Crossley (Kent).

Charlery handed Posh coaching job
Former Peterborough striker Ken Charlery has been named as a new assistant coach at London Road. He has arrived from Harrow Borough after caretaker boss Steve Bleasdale's exit at the weekend and will work with the team until the end of the season. Charlery told the club's website: "Owner Barry Fry has been on the phone a couple of times and he asked me to come down and help coach Andy Legg. "I jumped at the chance to try and help Posh reach the play-offs."

Leyton Orient v Peterborough
Victory for Orient - coupled with a draw or a defeat for third-placed Grimsby - would lift Martin Ling's side into an automatic promotion spot. The O's miss striker Efe Echanomi (broken leg), while defender Justin Miller (hernia) and winger Shane Tudor (ankle) are also unavailable. Stand-in boss Barry Fry is hoping to name an unchanged Peterborough side. Dean Holden (hamstring) is still out but could return if eighth-placed Posh make the play-offs.

Leyton Orient 2-1 Peterborough
Orient played for 70 minutes with only 10 men to beat Peterborough and keep their automatic promotion hopes alive. They went ahead after 14 minutes when Phil Bolland handled and Matt Lockwood scored from the spot. Paul Connor saw red seven minutes later for elbowing Paul Carden, but Wayne Corden added a second for Orient on the hour with a superb drive. Five minutes from time, Peterborough substitute Lloyd Opara ran clear to slot home a composed finish. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Leyton Orient: Garner, Zakuani, Lockwood, Tann (Barnard 70), Mackie, Simpson, Corden (McMahon 86), Easton, Keith, Steele (Alexander 76), Connor. Subs Not Used: Morris, Ibehre. Sent Off: Connor (21). Booked: Steele, Alexander. Goals: Lockwood 15 pen, Corden 70. Peterborough: Tyler, Carden, Bolland (Opara 39), Arber, Farrell (Kennedy 79), Newton, Gain (Semple 73), St. Ledger, Logan, Crow, Ryan. Subs Not Used: Harrison, Plummer. Booked: Carden, Opara, Arber. Goals: Opara 85. Att: 6,591 Ref: P Melin (Surrey).

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