Burton Albion were left to rue missed chances and a cruel twist of fate as Archie Collins’ second-half strike earned Peterborough United all three points at the Pirelli Stadium.
The Brewers would have been confident before the game, having enjoyed a three-game unbeaten run which included stunning victories over promotion hopefuls Cardiff City and Bolton Wanderers. Having pulled themselves out of the bottom four, this represented a fantastic opportunity to open up a gap over a team also destined for a relegation battle.
Peterborough had won just twice prior to today and had lost their last two. Manager Darren Ferguson had spoken in the build up about how a hard fought, narrow 1-0 victory would be prioritised over entertainment. By the time the full time whistle had blown, it was fair to say he had delivered just that.
Burton Dominate First Half
Burton started brightly, seeing plenty of the ball and forcing the Posh defence into some awkward moments. Tyrese Shade came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half, denied at close range by United goalkeeper Alex Bass after a well-worked move down the right.
The Brewers continued to threaten from crosses and long throws, with Charlie Webster and Fabio Tavares both testing Bass before the break. At the other end, Jimmy-Jay Morgan’s header from a Harley Mills cross was the visitors’ only real sight of goal in the opening 45 minutes.
Half Time – Burton Albion 0-0 Peterborough United
It remains level heading into half-time.#TheBrewers pic.twitter.com/5jkRtls3BA
— Burton Albion FC (@burtonalbionfc) October 18, 2025
Peterborough Find Breakthrough In Improved Second Half Showing
After the restart, Albion looked to maintain their momentum, but despite more positive play, they were undone just after the hour mark. The ball broke kindly to Archie Collins on the edge of the box, and the midfielder struck a superb half-volley beyond Brad Collins to give Posh the lead against the run of play.
It was a moment which spurred the visitors on as they pushed for a second. Peterborough midfielder Matt Garbett saw multiple efforts blocked or fly narrowly over, while Harry Leonard forced a save from Brad Collins with a low drive.
Peterborough were reduced to 10 men late on when Tom Lees received a second yellow card, giving the Brewers further hope, but despite piling on the pressure in the closing stages, Webster’s free-kick in stoppage time cleared the bar — and Albion were left empty-handed after a committed performance that arguably deserved more.
Watch Gary Bowyer’s Post-Match Interview on Youtube here ⤵️https://t.co/2J3gj9YMeC #TheBrewers pic.twitter.com/HZ9p7e8rjv
— Burton Albion FC (@burtonalbionfc) October 18, 2025
Full Time – Burton Albion 0-1 Peterborough United
Writer’s View
After building momentum in recent weeks, this result was a real kick in the teeth for Burton. Another victory would have seen them open up a gap on the bottom four but the likelihood is that they’ll now fall back into the relegation places.
Peterborough’s win now mean they are just 2 points below the Brewers and they’ll be hoping that this is the result that can kick start their campaign. Manager Darren Ferguson may well have been on the brink before kick off but with winnable games coming up, he may just have given himself a new lease of life.
