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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Sport
John McDougall

League One chairman poses fixture claim after Bolton, Portsmouth, Derby & Plymouth away days

Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony believes Bolton Wanderers will be among several sides up towards the top of League One this season but is hoping to take advantage of 'tired legs' when taking on teams they have been on the road against later this season.

Posh lost 1-0 to Wanderers the last time Ian Evatt's side were in League One action. Dapo Afolayan's finish helped the Whites to their third successive win heading into the international break.

Peterborough were in action last weekend, when Bolton's away day to Portsmouth was postponed owing to call-ups within the squad. Posh beat Port Vale to return to winning ways.

READ MORE: 'Of course' - Ian Evatt responds to Danny Cowley's Portsmouth claim over Bolton postponement

Posh have had trips to Wanderers, Plymouth Argyle, Derby County and Portsmouth in their first 10 games of the season. MacAnthony believes his team have had a tougher run of games in the opening phase of the campaign away from home compared to the current top three in the division of Plymouth, Ipswich Town and Portsmouth.

MacAnthony believes Bolton will be among the sides at top of the league this campaign, but is looking forward to taking on the likes of the Whites next year back at London Road. The Posh chief questioned whether getting this run of away days out of the way is better at the start or end of the campaign.

Speaking on the latest edition of The Hard Truth Podcast, MacAnthony said: “Tell me out of the top three teams in League One, have those teams played Plymouth away, Portsmouth away, Bolton away and Derby away? Because I don’t think any of the teams at the top of League One have played those four away fixtures in their first 10 games.

“The good news there is that you’re getting them out of the way early. Yes, we didn’t win the games, yes, at Plymouth we were awful and the rest we could have picked points up at, but the point is no-one in that top three - I don’t think Ipswich, Plymouth and Portsmouth have played that level.

“Those four teams are going to be up there, even Bolton, they’re going to be up there, so I don’t think anyone in the top three or four have played those away fixtures. We have, so yes, we haven’t been at our best, but the manager and his staff, fair play to them.

“I’ll get excited when we put three or four on the spin together, including away wins and I think they’re around the corner. We don’t have to play those teams again until 2023 and then on our home patch where hopefully there’s tired legs.

“Would you rather play those four teams I’ve just mentioned away from home in the first 10 games or the last 10 games of the season? That’s the question.”

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