Shrewsbury Town sunk by Peterborough super-sub - match analysis and pictures

That they didn't demonstrates the gap between League One's very top teams and the rest of the pack and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing's excellent 20-yard screamer was worthy of winning any match in any division.

And the fact the Peterborough forward didn't get on the pitch until the 62nd minute, two minutes before he netted the only goal of the game, demonstrated the quality and strength in depth at Posh manager Darren Ferguson's disposal.

It was a moment of inspiration that the hosts had badly needed, having been frustrated and contained for much of the game up until then by a hard-working, disciplined and well-drilled Town side which played to a clear game plan.

In fact, the home crowd inside London Road had started to really get on their own side's backs when the winner arrived, such was their frustration at the way the game had been heading.

And Town had just started to find some success in the final third, with Jon Taylor, Aaron Wildig and Cristian Lopez all testing Posh keeper Bobby Olejnik in the previous few minutes.

Once they were behind, it was always going to be a tall order to take a share of the points against a side that had won nine of its previous 11 leagues games, and had not conceded in their last three of those. And in the end Graham Turner's side just lacked that extra bit of quality in the final third to claw the deficit back.

But they can reflect with pride in they way they handled a side that will very probably be playing Championship football next season – and they will not come up against the same calibre of opposition they did on Saturday many times again during this campaign.

Indeed the hosts wasted no time in demonstrating their prowess, and they should have taken the lead inside the first two minutes.

Paul Taylor's super curling 20-yard drive gave Town goalkeeper Chris Weale no chance of a save, but fortunately it cannoned back off the far post and the visitors were able to clear the rebound.

But the hosts did not let up and they continued to exploit the space down Town's left flank with full back Mark Little in particular causing major problems with his pace. And it was no surprise that he was the chief architect of Peterborough's second great chance six minutes later.

The former Wolves right-back drilled in another testing cross, which deflected off Town skipper Tamika Mkandawire and into the path of Posh's top scorer Britt Assombalonga.

The one-time Shrewsbury Town transfer target could not accept the gift though, drilling over from 10 yards out in a central position in the box.

Town would see very little of the ball in the first half an hour in particular as Peterborough continued to probe patiently. But the back four held firm – aided ably by a tirelessly hard-working midfield four and some selfless support from the strikers – and the hosts became increasingly unable to find the killer ball.

When Paul Taylor hammered an aimless 30-yard effort high and wide, under pressure from Wildig, around the half hour mark it was a clear sign that frustration was setting in.

Town were handed a further boost when Little, who had been his side's best player up to that point, limped off with a hip injury, to be replaced by Kgosi Ntlhe and the hosts should have gone in at half time at least a goal to the good though after Tyrone Barnett spurned two great chances just before the break.

Only a last gasp block by Dave Winfield denied him an opener three minutes before the interval, after Town had failed to adequately deal with a corner-kick. And the same player then headed wide from an unmarked position following the resulting flag kick on the other side.

Town were looking vulnerable to set pieces and were guilty of a couple of lapses in concentration just before the break, but they would have been the far happier of the two sides at half time, while a small undercurrent of boos could be heard from the home crowd as the hosts walked off.

For all their possession, Peterborough had yet to muster a shot on target at this point, but Town had offered virtually nothing themselves in the final third though either.

Tom Bradshaw had been starved of service while Cristian Lopez had done a good job harassing defenders, trying to force a mistake, but without any joy.

A tame low drive straight at Olejnik was as close as the visitors had come to a goal, although a Paul Parry free-kick also caused an uncomfortable moment when Olejnik rather unconvincingly chose to punch, causing a momentary scramble on the edge of the box.

There were more uncomfortable moments for the hosts in the second half as they began to conceded possession in the middle of the park, with Ntlhe and Tommy Rowe were both among the chief culprits and Town were starting to look a threat on the counter-attack.

Winfield had to fling himself at a powerful Taylor effort early into the half, to make the block, and Assombalonga drew a decent save from Weale at the near post. And Michael Bostwick should have found the back of the net from another threatening corner-kick after escaping his marker, but instead headed just over.

But Town were finding gaps at the other end, and they enjoyed a purple patch in the 10 minutes before the goal arrived.

Lopez did very well to win possession 25-yards out and Jon Taylor saw a powerful shot from his pass just blocked by Bostwick at the last minute at the near post.

Wildig was unable to extend Olejnik from the rebound, heading straight at him, but Lopez was only inches away from an opener with a well-placed low drive which drifted just wide.

The mood of the home crowd was threatening to boil over by now, and Ferguson recognised the need to change things as his side appeared to be lacking in tempo and running out of ideas.

Unfortunately for Town, this was to prove the decisive period of the game as Mendez-Laing found the net from fully 20 yards out within two minutes of replacing Paul Taylor. Now it was now Turner's turn to ring the changes, and with defeat starring them in the face, he threw on Adam Reach and Liam McAlinden for Parry and Lopez.

Town do appear to have more strength in depth following the recent loan signings of McAlinden and Lopez, and the changes did make an impact as Town mounted a late charge.

Reach should have hit the target with a thumping volley from an unconvincing Peterborough clearance and Joe Jacobson made pulses race quicker momentarily with a pulsating 25-yard drive which just flew wide of the mark.

Jon Taylor looked to have stolen a point with a thumping 20-yard drive two minutes from time, but Olejnik produced a save almost as spectacular as the winning goal to deny him.

In truth moments of such quality in the final third had been lacking from the visitors, and there is little doubt that the better side won the game.

That it was Peterborough's sixth league win in a row shows Town should feel no disgrace though. And the brutal truth is that the success of Shrewsbury's season will probably not depend on how they fare against the Peterboroughs of this division.

A different challenge awaits at home to Colchester United tomorrow and if Town can match Saturday's performance levels they should be confident of bouncing back at the first opportunity.