Peterborough secured a 2-1 victory over Mansfield on 22 August 2026 at the Weston Homes Stadium, thanks to a stoppage-time strike by Harry Leonard. The match was Peterborough's first win of the League One campaign and the first for the Stags to be beaten in the opening week.
The hosts went ahead five minutes after the break when Michael Woods forced the ball home from close range with a deflection. Mansfield equalised ten minutes later when Rhys Oates surged forward and unselfishly centred for Woods to slot the ball into an empty net.
With the game seemingly heading for a stalemate, Leonard reacted quickest in the dying minutes to fire the ball home from 10 yards and secure victory for Luke Williams' side.
Earlier in the match, Jon Russell almost gave the visitors the dream start after just 90 seconds when he prodded the ball past an onrushing Alex Bass, but the ball was cleared off the line. Russell forced Bass into action again midway through the first half, with his drive from a tight angle pushed over the bar by the Posh keeper.
At the other end, the hosts' best chances fell to Woods, who was denied by Liam Roberts in the Town goal. Ten minutes before the break, Rhys Oates forced a good save from Bass with a drive from the edge of the area.
The match was highlighted by the dramatic late goal, making it Peterborough's first win of the season. The victory also gave manager Luke Williams a positive start to the campaign, while the Stags will look to regroup after the defeat.
