Impressive Peterborough United enjoy a stroll in the sunshine at Shrewsbury Town

Despite a big gulf in quality only a Jonson Clarke-Harris penalty separated the sides at the break, but second-half goals from Ephron Mason-Clark and Jack Taylor delivered a more accurate reflection of the afternoon’s events. Mason-Clark also contributed a couple of assists on another outstanding day on the summer recruit from Barnet.

The numbers Posh are stacking up under Darren Ferguson are making fools of those who didn’t want the multiple promotion-winner back to manage the club.

It’s 32 points in 16 matches under Ferguson and six of eight away matches have now been won. It’s also four clean sheets in a row in the Football League for Posh for the first time since 2019.

Most importantly Posh remain in a play-off position heading into an Easter Monday home game with mid-table, nothing-to-play-for Exeter City.

Posh made just one attacking change to their starting line-up at Shrewsbury with Kwame Poku replacing Harrison Burrows as manager Darren Ferguson looked to exploit a team beaten 6-0 in their last outing.

Oliver Norburn and Nathanael Ogbeta, the two former Shrews in the Posh squad, both started. The injury and suspension hit home side only named six substitutes.

Posh started like a team full of confidence. Poku found space easily and linked up play well. There was a threat on the flanks and Taylor rampaged forward after eight minutes and drove against the foot of a post from 20 yards with home ‘keeper Marko Marosi saving the follow-up from Mason-Clark.

A Joe Ward free kick was kept alive by Poku on the edge of the penalty area only for Clarke-Harris to poke straight at Marosi.

Posh were clearly superior and yet it took a soft penalty award for them to hit the front on the half hour.

Oliver Norburn’s ball forward was decent as was the run of Mason-Clark. A slight, yet unnecessary nudge, from Matthew Pennington sent the Posh man tumbling and referee Carl Boyeson pointed to the spot. Clarke-Harris did the rest.

And how Posh didn’t then kill the game off before the break was fairly frustrating.

Poor decisions were made and poor shots taken, notably when, two minutes after the goal, Poku robbed Luke Leahy and ran through unchallenged on goal only to place his shot wide with Ward screaming for the ball alongside him.

Ward then saw a shot blocked and Poku shot when he should have crossed allowing Marosi to make a save.

In added time Posh could have scored twice. Clarke-Harris shot over from the edge when an unmarked Ward was again calling for a pass and a slick passing move freed Ogbeta who placed either a shot or pass – it wasn’t easy to tell – wide of a post.

A few minutes earlier Poku again found space in the penalty area, but instead of sliding a simple pass to Clarke-Harris to score from six yards, the youngster leathered the ball cross with great inaccuracy.

The suspicion was Shrewsbury couldn’t be as bad again after the break. They changed formation, switched to a back four, but still couldn’t plug gaps Posh were happy to exploit.

Poku overhit one pass that could have sent Mason-Clark in on goal, but no matter, seven minutes after the re-start Ogbeta powered forward and fed the man of the moment.

Mason-Clark tricked his way past one marker, declined to shoot at first, beat another man and drilled a low shot into the corner of the net.

The hosts won their first corner of the match in the 54th minute and Chey Dunkley bundled the ball past narrowly wide at the far post.

Clarke-Harris was then given the opportunity for League One goal number 24 from a 20 yard free-kick, but curled the ball wide.

Some precise and patient football led to a great headed chance for Mason-Clark 20 minutes from time, but he appeared to jump too early as Ward’s excellent deep cross arrowed towards him.

Posh went through a spell of sloppy passing which encouraged Shrewsbury to get forward, but Frankie Kent was imperious at the back to give goalkeeper Will Norris an easy afternoon.

He was alert enough to get off his line to thwart Ryan Bowman after he’d sneaked in behind Ronnie Edwards, but otherwise his clean sheet bonus, if such a thing exists, was easily achieved.

And then Posh woke up again, broke away and emphasised the gulf in class between the sides with a third goal six minutes from time.

The control, movement and pass from Clarke-Harris were all excellent as was the cross from Mason-Clark. Marosi did well to stop the ball reaching Ward, but Taylor was on hand to steer into an empty net.

Another satisfactory afternoon, although little changed between positions 5-7 with Bolton and Derby also successful on the road.

Eighth-placed Wycombe and ninth-placed Portsmouth were the big losers on the day.

Posh: Will Norris, Nathanael Ogbeta, Frankie Kent, Ronnie Edwards, Nathan Thompson, Jack Taylor (sub Harrison Burrows, 88 mins), Oliver Norburn (sub Josh Knight, 85 mins), Ephron Mason-Clark (sub Ricky-Jade Jones, 85 mins), Kwame Poku (sub Hector Kyprianou 79 mins), Joe Ward, Jonson Clarke-Harris

Unused subs: Will Blackmore, Dan Butler, Kabongo Tshimanga.

Shrewsbury: Marko Marosi, Luke Leahy, Matthew Pennington, Taylor Moore, Chey Dunkley, Carl Winchester, Killian Phillips, Ryan Bowman, Tom Bloxham (sub Rob Street, 65 mins), Christian Saydee (sub Elliott Bennett, 18 mins), Jordan Shipley.

Unused subs: Harry Burgoyne, Kade Craig, Josh Barlow, Declan Hutchings.

Goals: Posh – Clarke-Harris (pen, 30), Mason-Clark (52 mins), Taylor (84 mins).

Cautions: Posh – Norris (delaying the re-start).

Shrewsbury – Phillips (foul), Street (foul).

Referee Carl Boyeson 5.

Attendance: 6,940 (801 Posh).