Peterborough United won 1-0 away to Bristol Rovers in this English League Cup first-round tie at the Memorial Stadium, Harry Leonard converting a 19th-minute penalty, awarded after Riley Harbottle handled in his own box, for the only goal in front of 4,810 supporters. The result extended a miserable recent run in the competition for Rovers, who have been eliminated at the first hurdle for a seventh consecutive season.
Peterborough set up in a 4-1-4-1, Rovers in a 4-2-3-1, but it was the home side who had much the better of the chances without finding an equaliser. Rovers managed 20 attempts on goal to Peterborough's nine, four of them on target against three, and forced four saves from the visiting goalkeeper. Peterborough, for all that pressure, held the larger share of possession, 54% to Rovers' 46%, and led on corners, five to two. Rovers were also the side penalised more often, conceding 14 fouls to Peterborough's ten.
Four players were booked, three of them Peterborough's: James Dornelly, Harrison Jones and goalscorer Leonard, with Bristol Rovers' Shaq Forde the only home player cautioned.
Both sides made changes at half-time, Peterborough replacing Thomas O'Connor with Lucca Mendonça and Rovers sending on Fabrizio Cavegn for Jack Aitchison. Rovers made a further double substitution in the 54th minute, Keenan Gough and Reiss-Alexander Russell-Denny replacing Richard Smallwood and Clinton Mola, and added a third in the 69th when Bobby Kamwa replaced Joe Quigley. Peterborough matched Rovers' double change in the 65th minute, and with 12 minutes left Evan Weir came on for the injured Carl Johnston.