Narrow cup defeat for Peterborough United Under 21s as Ben Mensah suffers another injury blow

Goals from Ben Mensah and Harry Thomas were not enough for the young Posh side who were beaten courtesy of a 22-minute hattrick from Harry Leonard.

Mensah was able to get on the scoresheet but could only manage 15 minutes on what was only his second game back after a hamstring injury. The latest in a line of injury setbacks during his Posh career so far.

Boss Matthew Etherington bemoaned individual errors that cost his side as they were edged out at the Zeeco Stadium, home to Stamford AFC.

The result leaves Posh bottom of the four-team group, having taken a point at Aston Villa in their opening game of the competition. The side can still progress courtesy of the fact there are four games remaining and they only trail group leaders Brentford by two points- albeit they have played a game more.

Etherington said: “It was poor goals we conceded, individual errors which was disappointing because if you take their goals away from the game, with the chances we had, I don’t think there was much in the game honestly.

“We have played against a Category One Academy side, who are in the Premier League 2, with some excellent players and our players more than matched them. In terms of the performance, especially in the second half, I thought it was very good. I said to the players after the game, they need to start believing they can compete at this level.”

Posh were without Joe Taylor, who is away with Wales Under 21s for the first time, but took the lead after just three minutes through a piece of magic from Ben Mensah.

His driving run took two players out of the game and his subsequent cross caused panic in the heart of the Rovers defence and the ball found its way into the net.

The lead only lasted six minutes though when Leonard fired a low shot past Matthew Laycock in the Posh goal.

He was only just getting going and registered his impressive hattrick in a blink of an eye with a headed effort and a tap-in after Laycock had misjudged a long ball forward.

In the second half, both Kellan Hickinson and Kai Corbett, via a freekick, came close before Thomas thundered an effort from 25 yards that bounced off the bottom of the crossbar and over the line.

Posh pushed for a winner but came up short.

Posh: Matthew Laycock, Ben Mensah (Harry Thomas, 16min), Ashton Fox, Charlie O’Connell, Oscar Tonge, MacKenzie Lamb (Will Van Lier, 59min), Harry Titchmarsh, Kellan Hickinson, Johnson Gyamfi (Roddy McGlinchey, 59min), Lewis Darlington (Gabe Overton, 60mins), Kai Corbett.