Peterborough United's summer recruitment looks impressive as does the set-piece play, but bad luck has accompanied a strong start to the season, although skipper could return soon

Goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic has performed superbly so far, centre-back Romoney Crichlow was outstanding in Saturday’s 1-0 win at home to Charlton Athletic, midfielder Archie Collins oozes class, fellow playmaker Ryan De Havilland delivered an impressive 10-minute cameo on his Football League debut against the Addicks, while on-loan right-back Peter Kioso is already a firm fans’ favourite just three starts into his career at London Road.

Getting carried away should be avoided (Lucas Bergstrom looked a decent ‘keeper last August before losing his way), but it’s been a good transfer window so far.

Even selling Jack Taylor hasn’t yet hurt Posh because Hector Kyprianou has been urged to break forward from central areas when possible and he delivered a high class end to a lovely move to win the game on Saturday.

Unfortunately there are still 18 days to go before the window closes and Ronnie Edwards and Jonson Clarke-Harris would take some replacing should they depart as expected. I don’t suppose there’s any chance of Edwards being loaned straight back to Posh, but I’m sure director of football Barry Fry will ask the question.

Kabongo Tshimanga doesn’t look ready to lead a League One forward line and if Wrexham’s bid for the 25 year-old is serious it shouldn’t be discouraged.

OTHER TALKING POINTS AFTER CHARLTON WIN…

1) Posh played some lovely football through the thirds in the first-half and yet, until Kyprianou struck in first-half added time corners looked their most likely route to a goal. And that’s nothing to be sniffed at given Posh’s terrible record from dead ball situations in recent seasons. Posh took their corners short with the ball delivered from a more favourable angle with crosses from Randall and Harrison Burrows landing almost perfectly on the heads of Ricky-Jade Jones, Peter Kioso and then Romoney Crichlow. Unfortunately none were converted, but the quality of delivery offered hope for the future. Kioso’s movement in the penalty area is very good.

2) Joe Ward often looked up last season to see just one teammate in the penalty area. It made crossing the ball that much more difficult. It’s been noticeable this season that Posh are getting more players in attacking positions near goal to help the crosser.

3) I wasn’t sure about Crichlow when I first saw him in action, but he’s clearly been signed because he can defend, win headers and is comfortable with the ball at his feet. His left footedness is just a huge bonus as it’s also allowed Ronnie Edwards to move to right centre-back where he is very much at home. Josh Knight was very good yesterday for the 20 minutes he played and it wouldn’t be a disaster if the transfer-listed centre-back was still at London Road on September 1. He’d get first shot at replacing Edwards, but that switch would seriously hamper the preferred method of playing out from the back in all situations.

4) Are Posh going to be seriously unlucky with injuries this season? They’ve lost skipper Ephron Mason-Clark and re-emerging midfielder Jeando Fuchs on the first two Saturdays of the season. Fuchs looks set to be out for a while which is a crying shame for a player who had started to win the manager over. It’s a blow for the club who would either have sold him this month or happily kept him around the first-team squad and now they can't do either. Ricky-Jade Jones worked hard in his captain’s position, but his dithering when he gets into the penalty area suffers in comparison to Mason-Clark’s ability to shoot instantly and accurately with both feet. Mason-Clark could be ready to return in the local derby at Cobblers next weekend, although he will be missed again in Tuiesday’s much tougher trip to Barnsley.

5) Just the 24 cautions in the first two Posh League One matches and it was hard to argue with any of the 12 yellow cards dished out by referee Lee Swabey yesterday. Footballers (and managers) were told of the new strict guidelines re discipline and dissent before the season started and yet some are still acting the fool before looking bemused when the officials issue punishment. Charlton striker Alfie May punched the ball away, Bilokapic was caught time wasting and both managers were cautioned, Ferguson for waving an imaginary card and Holden for, probably correctly, complaining about the addition of a mere six added minutes and the end of 90 minutes. The managers need to set the example and the players need to learn quickly or the suspensions will start piling up by the end of August.