The first of two matches in a Peterborough United-Stevenage double-header, the two League One clubs clash in Saturday lunchtime's third-tier affair at Weston Homes Stadium.
Darren Ferguson's side will then reunite with their visitors three days later in the EFL Trophy, and the hosts will no doubt welcome a return to familiar turf after a pitiful time of things on the road.
Match preview
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Defensive solidity has not been the theme whatsoever for Peterborough over the past few weeks, as the Posh head into Saturday's fixture aiming to snap a three-game losing sequence, having continuously fallen short on rival turf in the past fortnight.
Following a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Leyton Orient, Peterborough kept things close once again in their clash with promotion-chasing Birmingham City only to lose 3-2, before their previous attacking prowess evaded them at Wigan Athletic.
A Dale Taylor double and late Callum McManaman strike propelled the Latics to a 3-0 win over Ferguson's team on Tuesday evening, Peterborough's heaviest loss of the season so far and one that leaves them in an unsightly 16th place in the League One standings.
The rearguard statistics do not make for positive reading whatsoever for the Peterborough faithful, as the Posh have conceded at least twice in each of their last four matches and are still waiting for their first clean of any competition in the 2024-25 campaign.
The hosts have to go all the way back to April 20 - a 2-0 win at Bristol Rovers - for their last shut-out, conceding 15 times in a row since that victory, although a 3-2 triumph over the same opponents on September 21 ended a five-game winless home run in League One.
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While Peterborough were subjected to midweek misery, Stevenage boss Alex Revell revelled in a Tuesday triumph, as the Boro earned their second consecutive 1-0 win in the third tier with a shock beating of Championship-chasing Wrexham.
With just 10 minutes played at The Lamex Stadium, Louis Thompson opened his account for the season, and the midfielder's strike would prove telling in an affair where Stevenage played some of their "best football" under Revell in the first half.
Now ninth in the rankings and knocking on the playoff door - sitting just one point worse off than sixth-placed Blackpool and three below Wrexham in the runners-up spot - Stevenage have strung together a three-match unbeaten run, laid on solid defensive foundations.
Indeed, the visitors have now kept three straight clean sheets against Wrexham, Charlton Athletic (1-0) and Peterborough's recent conquerors Wigan (0-0), so Saturday's hosts could do with taking a leaf out of Stevenage's backline book.
A mere five goals conceded represents the joint-best record in the league along with Wigan, but Stevenage have only found the back of the net seven times at the correct end of the pitch; no team outside of the relegation zone has managed fewer.
Stevenage are also on a dampening 12-game winless run away from home in League One, a sequence that includes a 3-1 loss to Peterborough in this exact fixture on March 13, prior to which the two sides played out an exciting 2-2 draw on the Boro's turf.
Team News
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A forgettable evening for Peterborough's Hector Kyprianou at Wigan saw the Posh captain booked before coming off with an injury after just 28 minutes, and Ferguson has confirmed that the midfielder will miss this match with a pulled hamstring.
Kyprianou's absence is one of two new blows for the hosts to contend with, as Jadel Katongo also hurt his hamstring in the loss to Birmingham and is facing 10 weeks on the sidelines, with a return scheduled for around Christmas time.
Rio Adebisi, Ryan De Havilland (both knee) and Manchester City loanee Mahamadou Susoho (thigh) are also out of contention, while Oscar Wallin missed the Wigan loss with a dead leg and is touch-and-go.
In contrast, Stevenage came through their terrific win over Wrexham without any new injury concerns, but Revell is still without a few long-term absentees, including ex-Brentford man Charlie Goode and his broken leg.
Daniel Sweeney (knee), Jake Forster-Caskey (knee) and Aaron Pressley (ankle) are also out of contention for the visitors, but goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond has now been on the bench in back-to-back games after recovering from a hand injury.
The 25-year-old should not be threatening to take Murphy Cooper's place in goal anytime soon, though, and the majority of the starters from the victory over Wrexham should be retained.
Peterborough United possible starting lineup:
Steer; Dornelly, Nevitt, Fernandez, Curtis; Collins, Young; Poku, O'Brien, Mothersille; Jones
Stevenage possible starting lineup:
Cooper; James-Wildin, Thompson, Piergianni, Butler; Thompson, King; Roberts, Phillips, Reid; Kemp
We say: Peterborough United 0-1 Stevenage
Peterborough may have been scoring for fun before being swept aside by Wigan, but Ferguson's men will be ruing the loss of their captain against one of the best defensive sides in the division.
Stevenage do not score many themselves, but as was the case in midweek, Revell's side can break the deadlock and shut up shop against their injury-hit visitors to continue their playoff push.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
