Mark Cooper secured a first win as Peterborough manager as Exodus Geohaghon earned a 2-1 success over Watford.
Geohaghon header sees off plucky Hornets
Mark Cooper secured a belated first win as Peterborough United manager as Exodus Geohaghon earned a 2-1 home success over Watford.
Geohaghon, who was signed from Cooper's former club Kettering last month, headed home decisively on 78 minutes to deflate a Hornets side who only avoided the threat of administration on Friday.
Peterborough had taken a first-half lead through Lee Frecklington but Watford drew level early in the second period through John Eustace.
It required an immense effort from Peterborough ground staff and those drafted in to even get the encounter under way, with a collection of people still attempting to clear the pitch from snow just five minutes before kick-off.
The decision from referee Karl Evans to give the game the green light was definitely a questionable one with the playing surface resembling more of an ice rink than a football pitch.
But the hosts wasted no time acclimatising to the conditions and took the lead after just nine minutes.
Neat interchange down the left found the impressive George Boyd and he worked his magic before floating an inch-perfect cross the width of the penalty area for an unmarked Frecklington to volley home.
Watford were gifted a great opportunity to level soon after when Tom Cleverley found himself clean through following Paul Coutts' weak header, but a combination of the uncertainty under foot and a poor second touch saw the chance drift away.
Penalty shout
An evenly-contested opening quarter was played out before the visitors were denied what appeared to be a blatant penalty shortly before the half-hour mark.
Hornets striker David Graham went up for the ball with Posh goalkeeper Lewis before being clattered to the floor, only to receive a yellow card for his subsequent protestations.
Craig Mackail-Smith came within inches of connecting with a certain second for Posh while Jon Harley dragged wide at the other end prior to the half-time interval.
Remarkably, the pitch was still playable as the second half kicked off but the plummeting temperatures were threatening to turn the playing surface into a sheet of ice.
Yet the players seemed to be unaffected and Hornets goalkeeper Scott Loach dived low to his right to keep out Chris Whelpdale's strike.
And the save proved crucial as Eustace fired the hosts level within minutes when Posh defender Scott Griffiths failed to fully clear Cleverley's right-wing free-kick.
Watford had a lot more urgency about them after the restart as they peppered the Peterborough goal with shots - Cleverley seeing a well-worked chance smothered by England hopeful Lewis.
The Posh keeper again proved his quality to keep out Heidar Helguson's 68th-minute header but the Iceland international, who did not have an afternoon to remember, should have done better.
And the Hornets were made to pay for their missed chances when Geohaghon headed home after the away side failed to clear Frecklington's corner.
Yet there was still time for Lewis to produce a superb stop to keep out Helguson's header.
