Humphrys gave Town the lead but controversial sending off sees Posh score two
Peterborough United: Luke McGee, Michael Smith, Ryan Tafazolli, Gwoin Edwards (Leonardo Da Silva Lopes 81), Chris Forrester (c), Lee Angol, Marcus Maddison (Paul Taylor 46), Dominic Ball, Jerome Binnom-Williams (Craig Mackail-Smith 61), Junior Morias, Anthony GrantSubs: Mark Tyler, Jack Baldwin, Tom Nichols, Martin Samuelsen
Town: Jayson Leutwiler, Joe Riley, Mat Sadler (c), Shaun Whalley ( Ryan Yates 64) Stephen Humphrys, Louis Dodds (Tyler Roberts 78), Junior Brown, Bryn Morris (Ryan McGivern 83), Gary Deegan, Aristote Nsiala, Alex Rodman
Subs: Mark Halstead, Jack Grimmer, AJ Leitch-Smith, Adam El-Abd
Ref: Carl Boyeson
Assistants: C Fitch-Jackson and A Aylott
Fourth Official: E Kaye
Attendance: 4,116 (161 from Town)
Paul Hurst was forced into making changes to the team that started against Scunthorpe United on Saturday. Abu Ogogo is missing with a knee injury while Freddie Ladapo has a slight hamstring problem so isn't risked. Into the starting line-up comes Bryn Morris for his first start for Town while Tyler Roberts drops to the bench, in come Louis Dodds and Stephen Humphrys.
Peterborough forced the first good save of the half with just under 4 minutes on the clock, Riley got beaten and Posh broke with Edwards, he played it to Morias on the edge of the box and he turned and shot but Leutwiler was there with a solid punch to clear the danger.
Leutwiler was the busier of the keepers and was called into action a number of times, he did well to tip a Maddison cross away and then moments later he had to pull off a great reaction save after a Posh free-kick found Tafazolli who got a close ranger header in on target.
The first booking of the game went to Alex Rodman after Peterborough looked to break down the left but Rodman caught the man and picked up a booking for his troubles.
Town were trying to create and get at the home side and got into a few good areas in the first half, Whalley found pace in the box, Dodds got in a good header and Humphrys tried his luck from long range.
At the other end though Peterborough were creating the better chances and after Deegan lost the ball in midfield the home side broke quickly, the ball was played in between the Town defence for Angol to break but Nsiala and Sadler did enough to come across and snuff out the danger.
Town had a nice counter attack on 20 minutes after they broke down a Posh attack, the ball was played to Whalley who turned inside and broke down the middle, he played it out right to find Rodman and he took his run past his marker and to the byline, he cut the ball back across goal but it had just too much on it to find Humphrys.
Town got their noses in front on the half hour mark and it came after good work from Whalley again, he found the space to loop the ball to back post for Rodman, he jumped for it but Edwards hand was up and it clearly hit the Posh man and ref Boyeson had no hesitation to point to the spot. Stephen Humphrys placed the ball, McGee did his best to play the mind games but once the whistle had been blown Humphrys hit a low shot in to the left post, McGee guessed the right way and got a hand to it but there was enough on it to beat the keeper and give Town the lead.
Moments later Town had another good sight of goal, more good work from Whalley saw him hold up play on the right, he looked for options and laid it back to Riley who curled a lovely ball into the box to find Rodman, he looped a head in on goal but it was just over.
Peterborough were looking dangerous as an attacking force and they bustled their way through the Town defence, it fell to Maddison who fired a shot in on the angle but again Leutwiler was equal to it with a decent save to his near post
Town had picked up bookings for Rodman, Humphrys and when the ball dropped in the middle of the pitch Morris and Anthony Grant slid in to win the ball, Grant stayed down and ref Boyeson saw enough to give Bryn a somewhat harsh booking.
Half-time: 0-1
Peterborough started the half with a change, Paul Taylor coming on to replace Marcus Maddison who had impressed in the first half.
There was a danger moment when a ball from Taylor dropped in the 6 yard box, there were Posh players close by looking to turn it home but in the end it was Sadler on the spot who calmly cleared the danger.
There was controversy on 55 minutes after ref Boyeson showed a second yellow card for Stephen Humphrys, there was a foul given against Town and Humphrys was walking away with his back to the ball, Tafazolli fired the ball into Humphrys and the ref saw this as obstructing the kick and booked the Town forward. Paul Humphrys and Chris Doig and the Town bench were furious with the decision and made their feelings known to the officials.
Peterborough now had the one man advantage and the home crowd were bouyed and in full voice and the home side were responding. First Leutwiler was there to produce a good save from a snap shot on the edge of the box and then moments later Mat Sadler again showed great composure to snuff out another Posh attack.
Peterborough were putting the pressure on and when Edwards got in down the right he crossed to the back post but Riley was there to turn it behind for a corner. The ball was delivered to the back post and there was Tafazolli with towering header at the back post to bundle the ball home and level the scores.
Peterborough continued to put the pressure and they got a second goal from another set-piece, the corner came in and found Mackail-Smith, he turned and floated the ball back in and there was Ball rising high to get a header in which rolled in at the far post.
Town were looking to get forward when they could and Deegan found Roberts, he cut inside and was cynically stopped in his tracks, a free-kick for Town but ref Boyeson kept his cards in his pocket this time. It was Roberts who placed the ball and he drove a ball into the back post and found the head of Nsiala but it was too quick for him to direct his header in on target.
Town were continuing to push and probe and look to get at the home side and a ball over the halfway line found Roberts, he looked to break but Ball was clearly tugging his shirt back and it was a free-kick for Town and a booking for Ball.
Full-time: 2-1