Peterborough United 5 Sheffield Wednesday 3: Pressure intensifies on Irvine

Ten-man Owls hit the front three times only to be undone in the final 20 minutes after Darren Potter had received his marching orders. Their winless League One run now stands at six matches to leave Irvine sweating over his future.

All appeared to be going to plan when Jermaine Johnson fired the opening goal after just five minutes, but high-scoring Posh quickly hauled themselves level 11 minutes later as Craig Mackail-Smith snapped up a rebound.

Parity was short-lived as Gary Madine pounced for his second goal in three Owls appearances in the 21st minute but again the hosts quickly hit back as captain George Boyd drilled through the legs of goalkeeper Nicky Weaver.

Chris Sedgwick put the Owls back on top after swapping passes with Neil Mellor 10 minutes before the break – and they were still ahead when Potter saw red 20 minutes from time for hacking down Mackail-Smith.

Posh wasted little time in levelling as Boyd bulldozed his way through a couple of challenges before firing home. They hit the decisive blow with six minutes to go as substitute Nathaniel Mendez-Laing weaved his way through to convert at the second attempt. The home side rubbed salt into the Wednesday wounds as Mackail-Smith tucked away a stoppage-time fifth.

Peterborough: Lewis, Whelpdale (sub Mendez-Laing 67), Langmead, Bennett, Kennedy; Lee, Wesolowski (sub Little 46), Rowe (sub McCann 61), Boyd; Mackail-Smith, Tomlin. Unused substitutes: Frecklington, Davies, Basey, Jones.

Sheffield Wednesday: Weaver, Buxton, M. Morrison, R. Johnson, Reynolds; Sedgwick (sub Jones 80), Potter, Coke, J. Johnson (sub Teale 46); Madine, Mellor (sub O'Connor 73). Unused substitutes: Heffernan, Beevers, C. Morrison, Jameson.

Referee: Geoff Eltringham (Tyne & Wear).