Peterborough responded to a rallying call by manager Barry Fry and eased their Second Division relegation worries ending a lean scoring spell with a four goal burst to sink Swindon Town.
"I tried to gee the front men up a bit and they responded very well and I was absolutely delighted to get three points. But it is still desperately close at the bottom and I can see the battle to avoid the drop going right to the wire," said Fry.
Posh had failed to find the net in over five hours of football and could hardly have been given a better start than a first minute goal as Adam Newton glanced in a Tom Williams cross. But Swindon replied within 90 seconds when defender Matt Heywood moved up to beat goalkeeper Mark Tyler following a free kick.
David Farrell outwitted a Swindon defence expecting a cross to restore the home advantage on 20 minutes with an effort from the tightest of angles and with wing-backs Newton and Williams impressive, other chances went begging before the break.
Swindon who came back from a three goal deficit at Port Vale in midweek looked to be starting another fight back when Sam Parkin hit his 21st goal of the season to level the scores.
This time it was not to be and Posh never looked back after getting their noses in front again on 74 minutes, Richard Logan reaching a Williams centre ahead of goalkeeper Bart Griemink to score with his first touch after coming on as a substitute.
A miserable afternoon for former Posh man Griemink, back in the Swindon side after a five month absence, was completed when Steven Thomson caught him yards off his line and promptly cracked in Peterborough's fourth with just two minutes left.
Swindon boss Andy King commented: "The goalkeeper was a nervous wreck and right through the team from one to 11 we were terrible. We are fourth in the league but it looked as if we were the team struggling to avoid relegation."