PETERBOROUGH, England (Interstat) — A pair of League One sides seeking momentum clash Thursday as Peterborough United hosts Port Vale at London Road Stadium.

The matchup comes at a critical juncture in the season for both clubs, each struggling for consistency in the final stretch. The statistical service Interstat projects a 1-1 draw.

Peterborough (10-11-12) looks to rebound from a 3-1 road loss to Blackpool last Saturday. That result extended a concerning pattern for Posh, who have secured just one victory in their last eight league outings (1-4-3). Their attack has shown flashes, including a 5-0 rout of Rotherham United on March 17, but defensive reliability has been an issue.

Port Vale (9-10-14) arrives after grinding out a scoreless home draw with Barnsley on Tuesday. That point halted a brutal three-game losing skid in which Vale was outscored 12-0, including a 7-0 defeat at Premier League side Chelsea in the FA Cup on April 4. Their form has been starkly split, with a three-game winning streak in early March immediately preceding the current difficult run.

The head-to-head history favors the hosts. In the most recent meeting on Dec. 20, Peterborough secured a 1-0 victory at Vale Park.

Port Vale manager will likely point to the clean sheet against Barnsley as a foundation to build upon. The priority will be organizing a defense that has been breached frequently on the road. For Peterborough, the focus is turning home advantage into three points to climb the table.

Following this contest, Peterborough stays home to face Burton Albion on Sunday. Port Vale returns to Staffordshire to host Wigan Athletic the same day, continuing a congested fixture list.