Hat-trick hero Dion Charles left Peterborough with the match ball and a collective place in Wanderers’ history as he continued his red-hot streak in front of goal.
Charles’ treble – completed in nine remarkable minutes either side of half-time – was the first by a Wanderers’ player since 2014 and the first away from home since 1988 when John Thomas also achieved the feat against The Posh.
With Ricardo Santos book-ending Charles’ feat with his first two goals for the Whites, Wanderers’ secured their biggest away win since 2001 as they romped to a 5-0 victory.
Charles took his tally for the season to 17 – and six in his last six games – with the help of two coolly-taken penalties and the striker admitted the day Wanderers celebrated playing 5000 league games couldn’t have gone any better.
“It’s brilliant to get my first hat-trick for the club on such a special day for the club,” said the Whites’ leading scorer after claiming the second hat-trick of his EFL career.
“The gaffer said to us before the game ‘go and put your stamp on the history of this club’ and I think everyone involved today has done that.
“I’ll get the plaudits for getting a hat-trick but I thought everyone played their part today, massively.
“Rico got two goals. He’s been waiting for ever for one and two come at once. It’s just a great day for everyone.”
As well as marking the 5000 landmark is style, the win also gave Wanderers another crucial three points as a fourth successive league victory lifted Ian Evatt’s men to fourth place in the League One table and saw Peterborough slip to ninth.
“They were closing in on us in the play-offs. We knew what we needed to do,” added Charles, who is aiming to become the first Wanderers’ player since Michael Ricketts in 2000/01 to score 20 goals in a season.
“We needed the result today rather than the performance and when we turn up, that’s what we can do to teams.
“That’s what’s been lacking of late – the clinical edge – and I think we scored all of our chances. Someone has been waiting for that.”