On a bitterly cold afternoon Town suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Peterborough United.

A first half bundled goal from Harry Beautyman just before the half hour mark was enough to secure all three points on a bobbly, wet and cut up pitch.

Gary Johnson named the same starting eleven that drew with Coventry City last Saturday. New signing Fergus Bell took a place on the Glovers bench, which for the first time in a while had the full quota of seven players on it.

Town started the contest brightly and were close to opening the scoring after just six minutes. A neat through ball found the clever run of Jamar Loza, but the Norwich loanee’s shot was well saved by Scott Loach in the Peterborough goal.

On 15 minutes the home side’s first chance fell to Kyle Vassell but his thunderous volley went narrowly over Town’s cross bar.

Just seconds later keeper Steer had to be on his toes to tip over a long range effort.

It was the home side that did open the scoring just before the half hour mark. Maddison’s shot from just inside the area was turned in by Beautyman with Steer helpless to keep the effort out.

Town made their first change at the half time interval with Ajay Leitch-Smith replacing Jamar Loza.

Substitute Leitch-Smith almost made an immediate impact when his cross was almost bundled over the line by Alex Smith.

At the other end Steer had to make two great saves in the matter of minutes when he first denied Maddison. The shot stopper was quick off his line to narrow the angle when it looked like Maddison had done enough to score. The Villa loanee then saved a thunderous Joe Newell shot after the Peterborough man wormed his way through the Town defence.

With just over 20 minutes remaining the home side should have doubled their lead. A jinking run from Newell on the left resulted in him crossing across the Town area only for Vassell to somehow put his sliding effort over the bar from less than two yards out.

Town were forced into a change with ten minutes to go after striker turned defender Kieffer Moore was forced off with a injury to be replaced by Nathan Ralph.

Despite throwing men forward in the dying seconds, Town couldn’t find the breakthrough to get the equaliser.