Reggae Boy Clarke-Harris grabs a share of Golden Boot
LONDON, England (CMC):
Reggae Boy Jonson Clarke-Harris scored his 26th league goal on the final day of the League One season to grab a share of the Golden Boot award as Peterborough beat Barnsley 2-0 to steal the final play-off berth.
Needing to win away at Oakwell Stadium on Sunday, Barnsley got goals from Clarke-Harris in the sixth minute and Jack Taylor in the 76th to seal all the points and end sixth on 77 points.
Derby, who were in pole position to grab the final play-off spot, suffered a 1-0 defeat to third-placed Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough Stadium to slip to seventh and end on 76 points.
Ironically, Peterborough now host Wednesday on Friday in the first leg of the play-off tie.
Clarke-Harris gave the visitors the ideal start when he chested down 21-year-old forward Harrison Burrows cross and drove a clinical finish past goalkeeper Harry Isted.
The strike drew Clarke-Harris level with Ipswich Town's forward Conor Chaplin as the division's leading scorer.
For Clarke-Harris, the Golden Boot was his second in League One, the first coming two years ago when he helped Peterborough - nicknamed Posh - to automatic promotion.
Up 1-0 at half-time with 10-man Derby already losing, Peterborough made sure of the points through Taylor, the 24-year-old midfielder producing a near-post header from a Burrows corner.
Another Jamaica international, Garath McCleary, was on the scoresheet to register his seventh goal of the season as Wycombe Wanderers drew with Portsmouth 2-2.
McCleary, 35, put the visitors ahead at Fratton Park, just past the half-hour mark, when he intercepted a horrendous short pass out of the back by goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi, drove his way into the 18-yard box before burying his finish through the legs of the bemused custodian.
Marlon Pack then cancelled McCleary's opener in the 44th to leave the game in a 1-1 deadlock at the break. Lewis Wing scored for Wycombe in the 54th, and 22-year-old winger Paddy Lane responded for the hosts in the 72nd.