Coca-Cola Championship
Saturday November 28 2009
London Road
Peterborough v Middlesbrough
Kick-off 3pm

THIS game sees only the fifth league meeting between the two, Boro having won on two previous occasions and Peterborough once, leaving one draw.

The only win for the Posh came in the last outing back in February 1994, with a 1-0 win at London Road.

Bottom-of-the-table Peterborough have won only twice this season, both at home. In total they've accrued eight points at London Road and three away from home, courtesy of three draws.

They lie six points from safety and two adrift at the bottom of the league.

Injuries and suspensions

Gary O'Neil will be assessed ahead of the game after being treated for a groin injury.

Rhys Williams is suspended for the trip after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the season last week against Nottingham Forest.

Chris Riggott is getting closer to a first-team return after two ankle operations having played another 90 minutes for the Reserves in midweek.

Andrew Taylor also featured, and scored, in the 4-1 win for the Reserves against Grimsby Town as he returns from ankle ligament damage.

Jeremie Aliadiere and Caleb Folan are still some way off from making a return due to ankle and hamstring injuries respectively.

Peterborough have no fresh injury worries ahead of the game.

Guide to the opposition

New manager Mark Cooper takes charge of his first game at London Road, after losing 1-0 at Sheffield United last week in his first match as boss.

Cooper's only other managerial post was with non-league Kettering Town. Had he still been in charge at Rockingham Road he would have been taking charge in an FA Cup tie against Leeds United, the team his dad Terry - a former Boro full-back - played for with distinction in the late 60s and early 70s.

Former manager Darren Ferguson lead Peterborough to two successive promotions, seeing them climb into the Championship for the first time in 15 years, but it wasn't enough to save his job. He was sacked after 15 games this season.

Peterborough have never competed at the top level of English football and this only their third season in the second tier.

Boro defender Sean St Ledger started his career at Peterborough, joining when he was nine years old.

One to watch

Joe Lewis

A good shot-stopper, Lewis is a highly-rated young goalkeeper but gained one of his England U21 caps as an outfield player, replacing former Boro midfielder Lee Cattermole against Azerbaijan.

The goalkeeper was a shock inclusion in Fabio Capello's England squad for friendlies against Trinidad and Tobago and the USA, but ended both games as an unused substitute.

Lewis, 22, has made 68 appearances for Peterborough, having joined from Norwich City in 2008 without playing a game for the Canaries in five years at the start of his career.

The Form Book

Gordon Strachan is looking for his first win as Boro boss, having lost the opening two and drawn the most recent against Nottingham Forest last weekend.

Boro are now without a win in four games, having picked up two points from a possible 12.

The Posh have not won for a month, their last victory being a 3-0 drubbing of Scunthorpe United at home.

Peterborough have won one of their last nine matches, picking up only four points from a possible 36.

Boro's last away trip saw their first defeat in six on the road, going down 1-0 to Crystal Palace three weeks ago. The loss was only Boro's second of the season away from the Riverside.

Only the top two, Newcastle United and West Brom, have a better away points record, while only Cardiff City have scored more away goals than Boro.

Last time out

February 12 1994

Peterborough United 1 Middlesbrough 0

The game saw Boro's only defeat in six games and their second in 10 during a run that saw Lennie Lawrence's side move from 16th place to seventh in March.

Boro ended the season in ninth place in the Championship, helped by a 5-2 hammering of Charlton Athletic on the final day.

Pears; Fleming, Vickers, Whyte, Liburd, Wright, Peake, Mustoe, Moore, Hignett (Kavanagh 74), Wilkinson. Unused sub: Collett (gk).

Referee: Mr DJ (David) Phillips

Mr Phillips was promoted to the National List of Referees in 2008 and refereed the FA Youth Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City the same year.

This will be the furthest north he will have officiated this season. Before his visit to London Road, Northampton was the most northerly.

In 12 games he has shown 40 yellow and one red card. Two of his games have been cardless.

Weather

Light showers are forecast on a cool, blustery day where wind speeds are expected to be roughly twice the speed of the temperature, which is expected to peak at seven degrees.

The wind is forecast to be south, south-westerly and humidity 83%

Tickets and Travel

Boro have sold more than 2,200 tickets for this game. More are available on the turnstiles at London Road.

Click here for directions to London Road.

Click here for all your ticket news.

Full coverage of the game will be available on Boro World. Right now on Boro World we have video interviews with manager Gordon Strachan and coach Colin Cooper, audio interviews with new captain Gary O'Neil and the man returning the club where he started, Sean St Ledger, plus the goals, highlights and post-match interview from Boro's 4-1 Reserve win over Grimsby on Wednesday.