Aden Flint’s late double secures point for Cardiff after comeback

Posted Wednesday, August 18, 2021 by PA

Two-goal hero Aden Flint spearheaded a stunning late fightback as Cardiff snatched a 2-2 draw in a thriller at Peterborough.

Darren Ferguson’s newly-promoted hosts looked on course for a second successive victory when striking twice in the space of three minutes early in the second half to take command at the Weston Homes Stadium.

But City had other ideas as they piled on the pressure to snatch a draw as Flint left Posh heartbroken with two clinical headers – both courtesy of exquisite Marlon Pack crosses – in a breathless finale.

The same two players who inspired Posh in their own sensational Saturday comeback for success against Derby did the damage again for them again.

Harrison Burrows and Siriki Dembele were rewarded for their stoppage-time strikes against the Rams with starts and repaid boss Darren Ferguson with more goals.

Teenage ace Burrows – making only the 11th league start of his career and first at this level – broke the deadlock with a rasping right-footed blast past keeper Dillon Phillips in the 49th minute after swapping passes with Jonson Clarke-Harris inside the box.

And Clarke-Harris was again prominently involved when Dembele doubled the lead following a clinical 51st-minute breakaway.

Dembele seized on the ball in his own half before bursting forward and finding Clarke-Harris who returned the compliment with a perfectly judged pass that Dembele controlled and poked past Phillips.

Shell-shocked City squandered a glorious chance to halve their arrears moments later when Pack slotted wide with only Posh keeper Christy Pym to beat.

Boss Mick McCarthy responded to his side’s deficit by throwing on striker Kieffer Moore while Posh were weakened by the loss of skipper Mark Beevers from their defensive line due to injury.

City’s aerial bombardment of the Posh box became more threatening as the second half progressed and they were eventually rewarded with a reply in the 83rd minute when Flint produced a towering header into the top corner after being picked put by a fine Pack delivery from the right.

Pym then gratefully clutched a Moore header following a bout of head tennis before the substitute striker sent another excellent headed chance well wide from Ryan Giles’ corner.

As the pressure eased in stoppage time, Posh man Burrows was denied a second goal by a fine Phillips save before substitute Joel Randall fluffed his finish to a counter-attack.

And those missed chances proved to be costly in the last of five additional minutes as Pack classily delivered from the left for an unmarked Flint to head home at the back post and spark wild celebrations among the away supporters.