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Ivan Toney scored a hat-trick as promotion-chasing Peterborough got back on track with victory at Accrington.

Posh had stuttered with just three points out of a previous 12 but Toney put Stanley to the sword.

The striker opened the scoring after 19 minutes when he headed home Marcus Maddison's free-kick.

Toney made it two after 41 minutes when Louis Reed's ball over the top found the frontman and, with keeper Connor Ripley rushing out, he had an easy task to fire into the empty net.

It should have been three a minute later in a carbon copy move but this time Ripley got a hand to Toney's goalbound shot and turned it onto the post.

Stanley looked for a breakthrough in the second half with sub Offrande Zanzala forcing Conor O'Malley into a save after 51 minutes.

However, Posh made the game safe in the 67th minute when Maddison's free-kick hit the crossbar and bounced down and Rhys Bennett headed over the line.

Toney completed his hat-trick after 85 minutes as Stanley failed to clear their lines and the striker stooped to head home from close range for his 16th goal of the season.

Match report supplied by the Press Association.