Peterborough chief Barry Fry hailed wing-back Tom Williams after a virtuoso personal performance dismantled play-off chasing Port Vale.
Fry reckoned the capture of Williams - initially on loan, now permanently - at the turn of the year will be a major factor if his side achieve Second Division safety.
And Williams proved his class by scoring one goal and creating another as Posh ripped apart a sorry Vale outfit.
He set up the opener for Richard Logan with a swerving cross three minutes before the interval and that was all that Posh deserved for an enterprising first-half showing in which both he and Simon Rea were denied by the woodwork.
But there was no stopping Williams as he doubled the advantage with a sublime strike ten minutes into the second half, latching onto a cross-field pass from Adam Newton, swapping passes with Logan and clipping a classy finish past keeper Jonathan Brain.
Manager Fry said: "I've absolutely no doubt that Tom and centre-back Guy Branston (who came in from Rotherham) have improved the team considerably. They have added that first division quality we previously lacked and Tom in particular is a massive threat going forward as he showed in this game." Veteran striker Andy Clarke made certain of victory with an unstoppable close-range volley in the 67th minute after Branston had flicked a monster throw from Matthew Gill into his path.
It might have been a different story had Vale striker Billy Paynter not squandered good chances either side of the interval but the match was over for the visitors by the time Marc Bridge-Wilkinson smashed a stoppage-time consolation.
Vale boss Martin Foyle wasn't happy with what he saw saying: "It was like watching men against boys and half a dozen of our players didn't seem to want the ball or get involved."