Wycombe Wanderers lost their fourth League One match in a row as they were defeated 4-2 by Peterborough United in a frenetic match at the ABEX Stadium.

Peterborough went 2-0 ahead after 10 minutes but Wanderers fought back twice to make it 3-2 before man-of-the-match Marcus Maddison added a fourth in the second half.

Peterborough made a bright start to proceedings, withMaddison looking to pull the strings for the hosts.

Maddison then assisted the opener for Posh, his fizzing low cross tapped home by Matt Godden at the far post on six minutes.

Godden then made it 2-0 after 10 minutes after being sent through by a wonderful slide-rule pass from Maddison, he coolly slotted the ball past Ryan Allsop.

Wycombe looked shellshocked by that double strike, and the hosts looked rampant with the Blues unable to contain Maddison and Lee Tomlin.

However, out of nothing, the Chairboys pulled a goal back on 15 minutes when Jason McCarthy’s dangerous cross was headed spectacularly into his own net by Ryan Tafazolli.

That goal gave Wycombe some real confidence and Alex Samuel let fly from 20 yards, with his fierce effort going just wide on 17 minutes.

Maddison, however, was really on song for Darren Ferguson’s side, his superb cross-shot drifting inches wide on 21 minutes.

The Blues were looking a lot more threatening and Nick Freeman was having an excellent game, with his firm low cross just evading Alex Samuel on 25 minutes.

Wycombe came even closer three minutes when a wonderful cross by Freeman evaded everyone, with Conor O’Malley rooted to his line.

However, with Wanderers on top, Joe Jacobson fouled the irrepressible Maddison on the corner of the area. The Posh playmaker stood up and bent it right into the top corner on the half hour to restore their two-goal lead.

Maddison was proving too hot to handle for Gareth Ainsworth’s side. Two minutes later, he beat two challenges and his dink towards the far corner was cleared by Anthony Stewart just in time.

Incredibly, the goals kept flowing in the first half and Freeman again was the main man, his cross dropped by O’Malley. Adebayo Akinfenwa showed his awareness to poke the ball back to Matt Bloomfield, who tucked the ball home on his 500th career appearance.

Wanderers had a sniff of an equaliser right on half-time when another delicious Freeman cross just missed Akinfenwa.

The Blues had one more good opportunity to level matters before the break but the superb Freeman shanked his effort high and wide after great work by Bloomfield.

Wycombe began the second half on the front foot with Freeman again to the fore.

The Chairboys had a half-chance on 52 minutes when the ball broke for Samuel in the box but he was denied by a combination of Tafazolli and O’Malley.

Peterborough began to grow into the second half and Allsop made a good save to deny Daniel Lafferty from 20 yards on 57 minutes.

The second half was much quieter in terms of goalmouth action but Wanderers were certainly in the ascendency approaching the hour mark.

Wycombe received a succession of corners with Peterborough defended nervously. On 65 minutes, Jacobson’s inswinger was headed over by Stewart.

Unfortunately, slightly against the run of play, Maddison made it 4-2 on 66 minutes, collecting Godden’s pass and rifling past Allsop from 15 yards.

Wycombe looked for an immediate response but Samuel blazed over from 15 yards after spinning well.

Wanderers responded well to that goal and Akinfenwa saw his header cleared off the line after Dominic Gape’s deep cross on 70 minutes but the referee ruled O’Malley was fouled.

On 73 minutes, Wycombe came so close to a third when Jacobson’s corner almost went straight in but the jittery O’Malley gratefully collected the ball after a scramble.

Wanderers continued to search for a way to reduce the deficit with Samuel looking dangerous on the right.

However, Peterborough always looked a huge threat going forward and Godden was denied a hat-trick by the offside flag on 79 minutes after heading home Maddison's magnificent cross.

The best route to a goal for the Blues looked to be from corners where O'Malley looked all at sea.

Peterborough almost made the game completely safe on 84 minutes when Louis Reed met a magical pass from Tomlin but Allsop saved at the second attempt.

The Chairboys had one last chance in injury time but Akinfenwa headed over McCarthy's superb cross.

Wycombe are still on that 43-point mark and now face Sunderland at Adams Park next Saturday (3pm).

WYCOMBE WANDERERS: Allsop, McCarthy, Jombati, Stewart, Jacobson, Gape, Thompson, Bloomfield (sub: Tyson, 79), Freeman, Akinfenwa, Samuel (sub: Bolton, 86). Subs: Ma-Kalambay, Bean, Kashket, Cowan-Hall, Harriman.

PETERBOROUGH UNITED: O’Malley, Naismith, Tafazolli, White, Lafferty, Ward, Cooke (sub: Reed, 79), Woodyard, Maddison, Tomlin (sub: Cooper, 86), Godden. Subs: Chapman, Bennett, Cooper, Denton, Stevens, Dempsey.

REFEREE: Sebastian Stockbridge.