Posh v Barnsley Preview

Posh welcome fellow Championship strugglers Barnsley to London Road this Saturday in a fixture that both sides will be hoping to win.

It`s been a rollercoaster week for Peterborough. After comfortably beating Scunthorpe United (3-0) last Saturday the buoyant mood was somewhat dulled by a 5-2 thrashing up at Ewood Park, courtesy of Blackburn Rovers, in the Carling Cup.

Up at Ewood Park, Joe Lewis received a red card invoking a suspension that has resulted in Darren Ferguson having to temporarily take on board another goalkeeper. Thankfully dad obliged and Ben Amos has arrived on loan, for a month, from Manchester United. Amos is expected to go straight into the squad and will probably be preferred to James McKeown between the posts.

Craig Mackail-Smith missed the Carling Cup defeat up at Ewood Park and Posh supporters will be hoping he`s recovered form the knock that forced him to miss the tie.

In recent weeks Darren Ferguson has chopped and changed his starting elevens and new signings, Bennett and Griffiths, have yet to start, could Saturday be the day or will Darren go with those who served him well last weekend? Against Blackburn, Posh also lost Charlie Lee to injury and the player who was so valuable last season could be sorely missed if the knock keeps him on the sidelines.

But what of Barnsley`s form?

In the Championship table they sit one place above us with three points being the difference. Last Saturday they suffered a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of Bristol City and on the road of the seven games they`ve played they`ve won 2, lost 4 and drawn 1.

The game, this Saturday; promises to be an uncompromising affair. I have my suspicions that Barnsley will come and be happy to settle for the point they started with, it`ll be up to Posh to open them up. If Posh can get an open goal the whole pattern of the game will change, Barnsley will be forced to come forward and that will play right into our hands. I`m confident about this fixture; I can see Posh making it two Championship wins on the trot and climbing the table to ease away from the relegation places. Posh by two clear goals is my prediction!

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