Peterborough United vs Queens Park Rangers. Sky Bet Championship.
Weston Homes StadiumAttendance12,035.
Report and highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Peterborough and QPR at the Weston Homes Stadium as Siriki Dembele struck in stoppage-time to seal a massive win for the Posh on Saturday
Saturday 23 October 2021 18:49, UK
Siriki Dembele hit a stoppage-time winner for Peterborough to complete a comeback 2-1 victory against promotion-chasing QPR.
Dembele took a pass from Sammie Szmodics and raced clear down the right before firing low across goal and past Seny Dieng to secure a vital victory for Posh, who move further clear of the relegation zone.
It was the second winning goal of the week for Dembele after team-mate Harrison Burrows had cancelled out a second-half opener from Ilias Chair - his fifth goal in five matches - after he curled straight in from a corner.
Both sides had squandered chances to claim victory in a thrilling second half with the best opening falling to Peterborough's Jack Taylor, but his miss did not prove costly in the end thanks to Dembele's late winner.
The dramatic finish was a far cry from the first half where it took until 39 minutes for either side to fashion a clear-cut opening and that was only due to a mistake.
A misplaced pass from Peterborough defender Ronnie Edwards gifted the ball to Chair whose long-range effort was spilled by home goalkeeper Dai Cornell.
The stopper then pulled off an excellent save with his foot to deny Lyndon Dykes' follow-up, before Charlie Austin blazed the next rebound wide.
The breakthrough, though, came five minutes into the second half. Shortly after the visitors' goalkeeper Seny Dieng had made a vital interception to deny a cross reaching Dembele, QPR broke and won a corner which Chair curled straight in from the left.
Six minutes later Posh equalised after a superb move involving several players, which included a lovely flick from Jack Taylor. The ball ended up at the feet of Sammie Szmodics whose deflected shot found Burrows down the left, with the 19-year-old academy graduate scoring from close range.
Peterborough nearly completed the turnaround on the hour mark, but Szmodics' low cross from the left was overhit and substitute Idris Kanu could only find the side netting at the back post.
Dykes then shot straight at Cornell and Jimmy Dunne headed at the goalkeeper from a corner as both sides pushed for a winner.
Taylor was next to come close as he nipped in ahead of Dunne to bear down on goal, but Dieng saved his effort and Dembele fired the rebound over to the frustration of the home fans.
But that miss was soon forgotten as the forward fired home to spark jubilant scenes at the Weston Homes Stadium and push the visitors out of the relegation places after they suffered a fifth away defeat of the season.
Peterborough's Darren Ferguson: "It was a great game of football. I would have said that even if we hadn't won. We knew our shape had to be solid, but that in transition we could play through them. Wednesday was big for them - they needed that win because our home form has been good. You could feel the relief in the players and it showed today.
"It was a great finish by Burrows - he was very good again. And that's what Dembs is about. He's always a threat and he's a really good finisher. He's got pace, he's a strong little bugger. He's brave, takes the ball and commits players. We know he's out of contract. The chairman tried to do something but he didn't want to sign one. But he's been really good."
QPR's Mark Warburton: "We didn't manage the game at all in the latter stages. We gave the ball away cheaply and Peterborough were very dangerous and brave. To concede a goal in that manner is very hard to take - it hurts. We were out of shape. We looked in control but it's about being more clinical. We got the ball in wide areas but lacked quality. We weren't at our best, but we have to manage the game better.
"We gave the ball away cheaply in defence and midfield which was frustrating." It's a big game Tuesday (against Sunderland in the League Cup) and a chance to go to the last eight of the major tournament. It's three games in seven days - it's a huge ask of the squad but we've got to enjoy the big games."
