Two late goals for Peterborough United denied Fleetwood Town all three points as Town lost 3-2 at Highbury on Sunday.
Amari'i Bell gave Uwe Rosler’s side a first half lead with a low driven finish, but Posh got back level early on in the second half through Michael Doughty's header inside the box.
Cian Bolger thought he won the match for the Cod Army with a volley inside the box seven minutes from time, but late strikes from Jack Marriott and Danny Lloyd gave Grant McCann's side an undeserved victory.
Rosler made three chances to the side that beat Hereford 2-0 on Thursday night, with Kyle Dempsey, Lewie Coyle and Nathan Pond coming into the starting line up. Jack Sowerby, Jordy Hiwula and Baily Cargill dropping to the bench.
The home side started off brightly by putting pressure on the Peterborough defence from two consecutive corners. Very similar to Thursday night with George Glendon taking the set piece, he drilled in the corner onto Nathan Pond’s head, but the captain couldn’t direct his header on target.
The visitors first effort of the match was a spectacular one by Marcus Maddison. The attacking midfielder found himself in space just inside the Town half, he saw Alex Cairns off his line, but the shot didn’t cause the goalkeeper any problems.
Moments later Posh had a double chance to open the scoring. Lloyd – who came on for Edwards early on – picked up the ball inside the 18-yard box with his first shot blocked by Bolger. The ball managed to find its way back to the substitute, whose second effort narrowly missing the bottom corner of the goal.
Bell opened the scoring for Town just before the half hour mark. Devante Cole stormed down the left wing, played in a low cross into the box, which was intercepted but the clearance only managed to find Bell, who took on Steven Taylor before slotting the ball in the far corner.
Despite going a goal down, Posh continued to play their football in the Cod Army’s half. After Marriott was brought down by Glendon, up stepped Maddison who went for the top corner on the free kick, but he saw his curling effort denied by Cairns who saw the ball all the way.
Town should have doubled their lead 10 minutes before half-time. Town were patient with their build up play down the right wing, and managed to put a cross into the box. It only to found Taylor, but with a sip eight-yards out, he allowed Cole to pick up the ball, turn and get a shot off at goal. Jonathan Bond saw it wide of his right hand post.
Kyle Dempsey tried his luck from long range with the referee’s whistle about to be blown for the interval; but his strike was straight down the throat of Bond, and Town were a goal to the good at the halfway mark.
McCann’s side got themselves back into the game courtesy of a Michael Doughty header. The midfielder timed his run perfectly into the 18-yard box to latch onto Maddison’s cross and slotted it past Cairns. The away side continued to attack and went close to taking the lead.
Town responded well and went close seconds later through Dempsey. The midfielder was set up by Cole on the edge of the box but he saw his shot go agonising wide of the near post.
In the 77th minute, Glendon received the ball on the edge of the box after a well-worked move from back to front. Bell pushed up high on the left side, pulled it back to Glendon who didn’t have much time to adjust his body, and his tame effort was save comfortably by Bond.
Straight down the other end; Maddison tried his luck again from long range, this time he made Cairns scamper back towards his goal line as the shot dipped at the last minute to hit the top of the crossbar.
Bolger gave Fleetwood the lead with less than ten minutes to go. From a Glendon corner, the ball bounced around the Peterborough box with the defender capitalised on the away team not clearing their lines and struck the ball home on the half volley.
Despite the late goal, Peterborough still had time to get back level at Highbury Stadium. Marriott scored in the 88th minute after a long ball by Maddison alluded the back three of Town. With Cairns coming out, the striker – who now had 18 goals for the season – lifted the ball over the on-rushing keeper to give the Posh fans hope.
The away side stole all three points after a late Maddison free-kick was parried by Cairns, with Lloyd pouncing on the ball to prod it into the back of the net.
With the last kick of the game, Cole found room between the two Posh defenders with Lewie Coyle's cross making its way to the striker. His header looked goal bound, but only hit the crossbar. that was the last attack of the match.
Town XI: Cairns (GK), Coyle, Bell, O’Neill (Sowerby 61’), Eastham, Pond © (Hunter 90'), Dempsey, Burns (Hiwula 55’), Bolger, Glendon, Cole
Subs not used: Neal (GK), Maguire, Schwabl, Cargill
Peterborough United XI: Bond (GK), Hughes, Tafazolli (Miller 83’), Edwards (Lloyd 10’), Maddison, Penny, Lopes (Anderson 59’), Doughty, Taylor, Grant.
Subs not used: O’Malley (GK), Baldwin, Forrester, Kanu
Referee: Anthony Backhouse
Attendance: 2,273 (136 away).