Another poor performance saw Notts end a Saturday pointless again, as George Boyd and Craig Morgan struck for the Posh in four second half minutes.
The goals came just after half-time, and in truth it should have been more, such was the home sides dominance. It may have been different had Junior Mendes opened the scoring for Notts, but he somehow missed an open goal just before the break. How Notts were to pay.
Notts boss Steve Thompson was forced into three changes, with top scorer Jason Lee beginning his three-game suspension for 15 bookings, and Alan White and Ian Ross also suspended. Lawrie Dudfield, back after his own ban replaced Lee, whilst Gary Silk came in for Ian Ross, David Pipe moving to right-wing, and Matt Somner came in for White, Mike Edwards moving back into the defence.
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Peterborough were the first to test, after 4 minutes a cross by Josh Low was headed at goal by Craig Morgan and deflected wide by Stephen Hunt for the first corner of the game.
After eight minutes Peter Gain showed good skill and combined well with the dangerous Low to fool the Notts defence and force Saul Deeney into a save, and the Irishman could only gather at the second attempt.
The pressure from the home side was fairly relentless with three corners forced within the first ten minutes of action, whilst the Notts strike force had yet to figure in the game at all.
Despite the imposing frame of all three of the home sides defenders, and even with the absence of six-foot Lee, Notts were insistent on playing high balls to the smaller Dudfield and Mendes.
Experienced Posh midfielder Micah Hyde picked out former Notts loanee Adam Newton with a delightful ball to the right after twelve minutes. Newton found Low well but on his unfavoured right foot Low could only thrash the ball over Deeney's bar.
There was little in the way of free flowing football, especially from Notts, with the game developing into a scrappy encounter, as so often happens in League 2.
On the 20th minute, Posh striker Craig Mackail-Smith hit a good effort from the right side of the penalty box, after being fed by Newton, but Deeney saved well, tipping the ball round the post.
Notts' first oppurtunity came in the 23rd minute and fell to Dudfield after Mendes had delightfully put him through with a clever flick. Despite the former Peterborough target appearing offside, he raced through on goal but saw his attempt saved by Mark Tyler. Dudfield should have done better, with Mendes available for a return pass.
That only served to put Darren Ferguson's hosts into more attacking action, as Mackail-Smith hit the side netting when in on goal courtesy of a rush of blood to Deeney's head who raced out of his goal for some unknown reason.
Notts' first corner came on the half hour mark, with the so far anonymous Jay Smith twice taking it, but both times he failed to beat the first man, summing up his performance. Indeed, the midfield duo of Matt Somner and Smith appeared completely overran by Hyde and Gain, adding to the expectancy of the majority in the London Road crowd.
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With the game petering out as half-time drew near, Dudfield, who was in fine form prior to his suspension, created the best opening of the half. With a delightful run into the box, he pulled the ball back to Mendes, who somehow fired off target when well placed to open the scoring. Unmarked, and with a gaping net, how Mendes transpired to hit the crowd was anybody's guess.
As the sides re-appeared for the second half, no changes were apparent. However, Notts would certainly be looking to play better football, as they had towards the end of the first period where they had their best spell of the game.
There task was made a lot harder when the hosts grabbed an early second half goal on 51 minutes. Low, easily the most dangerous player on the pitch eased past Silk and found George Boyd in the box. The former Stevenage player, one of several big money signings made by the Posh in the January Transfer Window, slotted the ball past Deeney after the goalkeeper had saved one shot, to the anguish of the travelling army.
Peterborough were dominant, and Thompson and his staff could only look back to the miss by the inconsistent Mendes.
They were looking back yet more on the 55th minute, as Peterborough deservedly doubled their lead. Centre back Morgan got the final touch to head it past Deeney and Smith on the Notts goal-line, from a Mackail-Smith cross after the Magpies failed to clear their lines. It had been coming, with Notts looking totally inept once again. Indeed, it never appeared likely that the visitors could win for only the second time in eight games, and the first time away since Accrington Stanley on January 13th.
The 624 following from Nottingham, amongst a 5014 London Road crowd were extremely quiet, with the Magpies doing little to raise spirits.
They were hoping spirits would be helped by Thompson's double change as he sent out Tcham N'Toya for Silk and Dan Martin for the poor Andy Parkinson. It appeared to see Notts go with three up top, Thompson finally showing some attacking instinct.
Martin whipped a corner in that Somner headed over.
Another corner soon followed when N'Toya's shot was deflected wide.
After another set-piece from Martin, his fellow substitute N'Toya again had an attempt on goal, bringing the best out of Tyler in the Peterborough goal who saved well.
Danny Crow, the Peterborough striker who Thompson attempted to bring to Notts earlier this season, entered the action as a 78th minute substitute for the impressive Mackail-Smith, and soon had an opening which he wasted.
With ten minutes left there appeared no doubt that Notts would slide to a thoroughly deserved defeat.
Tactically inept, Thompson had once again come up short to the anguish of the supporters, who were also frustrated by the lack of quality in the Notts ranks.
Ahead of the big local derby at home to Mansfield Town next Saturday, arguably the only game left for Notts fans to get excited about as the Playoff's become totally out of reach, Notts are now just two points above the Stags, who were said to be embroiled in a relegation battle until just a few weeks ago, how Notts have fallen.
After today's fixtures, the maligned Magpies are an out of reach ten points from seventh place, and Wycombe, in seventh, still have a game in hand. Perhaps more pressingly given the shocking form Notts have produced since December, where Thompson has masterminded just four wins in seventeen, losing nine, Notts are just ten points from 19th place, and another possible low position finish to frustrate the long suffering faithful.