Harvey Rodgers scored his first Accrington Stanley goal since 2017 but the Reds lost 3-1 to promotion-chasing Peterborough.

Defender Rodgers put the Reds ahead at the Weston Homes Stadium and Stanley hit the woodwork twice but Posh came back and were clinical.

The defeat means Stanley have lost four league games in succession and have dropped to 19th place in League One.

John Coleman opted for the same starting XI which lost narrowly to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

Peterborough created the better early chances. A ball forward split the Stanley defence on seven minutes and Kwane Poku ran onto it with Toby Savin doing well to keep the ball out.

Doug Tharme made a timely clearance on 19 minutes after a Harrison Burrows ball fizzed across the area with Posh players waiting to pounce.

Stanley took the lead on 25 minutes when Peterborough failed to clear their lines, Sean McConville lashed a strike against the bar and it bounced out for a stooping Rodgers to head home.

It was his second goal in 112 appearances for the Reds – the defender’s last goal for Stanley was in February 2017 in League Two against Notts County.

And it could have been two on 29 minutes but McConville’s low free kick was pushed out by goalie Lucas Bergstrom.

Posh levelled on 33 minutes when Jack Taylor found Ephron Mason-Clark, he made space for himself on the edge of the area and rifled the ball into the top corner of the net.

Both sides had half chances up until the break in an entertaining clash.

Stanley started the second half well, pressing and putting a couple of dangerous balls into the box.

However, Peterborough went ahead on 51 minutes. Mason-Clark raced down the left, he went down in the area but got back up again to play the ball across the face of goal and it was turned in by Poku from close range.

Posh had the ball in the net on 53 minutes but thankfully for Stanley it was off-side and then Savin  tipped over a blistering strike from Burrows.

Stanley came so close on 58 minutes when a teasing McConville free kick found Ryan Astley and his header was turned onto woodwork by Bergstrom.

But Posh made it three on 59 minutes when a long ball forward found Jonson Clarke-Harris, he brought it down and drilled the ball into the net for his 11^th goal of the season.

Coleman made three substitutions in 67-71 minutes and the Reds continued to look to get back in the game.

McConville was a threat, Baba Fernandes headed wide while former Posh midfielder Ethan Hamilton rifled a strike over the bar.

Nathan Delfouneso and Touray Sisay came on 85 minutes but they weren’t able to make an impact.

Stanley: Savin, Clark, Astley, Tharme (Fernandes), Rodgers, Coyle (Martin), McConville (Delfouneso), Hamilton, Whalley (Longelo), Pritchard, Leigh (Sisay)

Subs: Jensen, Nolan

Yellow: Coyle, Tharme, Rodgers