Bolton Wanderers suffered a narrow defeat at the Weston Homes Stadium after Ivan Toney’s first half strike proved to be the only goal of the game.
The Posh striker netted his 15th goal of the campaign early in the contest but although Wanderers had several chances to find an equaliser it was the hosts who claimed all the points.
Keith Hill made three changes from that side that drew against AFC Wimbledon in Wanderers’ previous league outing last weekend at the University of Bolton Stadium.
Liam Bridcutt, returning from injury, Luke Murphy and Josh Earl came back in to the starting XI.
The visitors enjoyed a bright start with Bridcutt showing no ill-effects from his spell on the sidelines as he beat a couple of men in the middle of the park before picking out Joe Doodoo, who ran at Dan Butler before seeing his cross go narrowly over the head of Daryl Murphy.
Remi Matthews made a routine save to keep out a header from Ivan Toney who managed to get his head on the end of Louis Reed’s floated corner.
Bridcutt’s intervention at the other end of the park was crucial for the visitors after he intercepted Joe Ward’s cross and was able to control the ball with his chest which allowed Matthews to gather possession.
Reed was proving to be effective and his cross found the head of former Wanderer Mark Beevers whose downwards header bounced into the ground and narrowly over the cross bar.
Toney broke the deadlock after 23 minutes when he put the ball beyond Matthews, seeing it nestle into the bottom right hand corner.
Posh should have had a second a few moments later when Mo Eisa saw his shot blocked at close range after Matthews kept out Toney.
At the other end, Ronan Darcy put in a teasing cross but it went just over the head of Yoan Zouma who was looking to plant the ball home.
Toney lashed the ball wide after latching on to a Ward pass as the hosts look to capitalise on their attacking intent and extend their lead.
Darcy had a good chance for the Wanderers as they pressed for an equaliser after he got on the end of Daryl Murphy’s pass, but despite beating Beevers he fired over the cross bar.
Josh Emmanuel was in the right place to make a huge goal line clearance after Mo Eisa tried to steer home from close range.
Elsa was then denied by the woodwork after Beevers knocked down Butler’s free kick only to see his effort cannon off the underside of the bar.
The hosts were looking to resume the second half as they ended the first, but once again found Wanderers defending stoically.
Earl was aptly placed to block Toney’s effort on the goal line after Wanderers survived a penalty appeal when Eisa was challenged in the box.
Hill made a double change just before the hour mark when Thibaud Verlinden and Chris O’Grady came on for Zouma and Darcy.
Earl again came to the rescue of the visitors when he turned away Butler’s cross for a corner. From Reed’s resulting set piece the dangerous Toney powered over the bar at the near post.
It didn’t take long for the substitute Verlinden to get in on the action and his corner into the box was met by the head of Dodoo but his effort went over the bar.
Luke Murphy headed agonisingly wide after getting on the ended of a run and cross from Emmanuel. It was a glorious chance for an equaliser with Wanderers determined to get on the scoresheet.
Pym, in the Posh goal, held on to Luke Murphy’s shot after the Wanderers midfielder created space for himself.
With ten minutes remaining, Dodoo’s free-kick from 25 yards out went just over the bar.
As the game was heading towards its end, Wanderers were putting on the pressure to get a late equaliser.
A low drive from Adam Chicksen from inside the penalty area was blocked by the Posh defence.
In the final minute of normal time, Dodoo cut inside the Peterborough box obly to see his left footed drive go into the grateful hands of Pym.
Despite the late rally, Wanderers were unable to get anything from the game.