MATCH REACTION: Peterborough United safely negotiate a '˜no-win' situation

Lee Angol (right) makes his first Posh appearance of the season as a second-half substitute for Tom Nichols. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

Posh eased past non-league Chesham United 2-1 in the first round of the FA Cup at the ABAX Stadium thanks to two goals from striker Shaquile Coulthirst. A late Chesham replay ensured a nervy final 10 minutes, but Posh were worthy winners despite playing far from their best.

McCann rested central defender Jack Baldwin, but managed to get a first appearance of the season into striker Lee Angol. Angol played the final 20 minutes as a substitute - his first competitive action after recovering from a broken ankle in July.

“We were in a no-win situation today,” McCann stated. “Everyone expected us to win, but these games are never easy.

Posh manager Grant McCann watches on from the sidelines in the FA Cup tie with Chesham. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

“We strive for perfection. I’d love every pass we make to be accurate and I’d love my players to win every tackle, but football doesn’t work like that.

“This was a cup final for Chesham and they raised their game and made life very difficult for us, especially in the opening 40 minutes.

“Chesham gave everything whereas in the first-half we probably didn’t. Maybe we thought it was going to be easy, but once we took the lead we controlled the game.

“We were much better in the second-half and we should have scored many more goals. A mistake with Michael Bostwick not looking where he was passing it got them back into the game, but we deserved to win.

Shaquile Coulthirst is all smiles after scoring the opening goal for Posh against Chesham. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

“Michael actually played very well and I was delighted to see Shaquile Coulthirst in the goals again and really pleased to get Lee Angol back on the pitch.

“Lee is a good player. We’ll play him from the start against Barnet in the Checkatrade Trophy on Tuesday (November 8) and get some more rustiness out of him.

“We did make it hard for ourselves towards the end , but all I wanted from today was to get into the second round draw. I wanted to avoid becoming a headline on the back page of the Sunday newspapers and we did that.

“We were very good in the FA Cup last year and we want another good run this season.”

The second round draw is live on BBC Two on Monday (November 7, from 7pm).

Posh travel to League Two side Barnet for a ‘dead’ Checkatrade Trophy tie on Tuesday. Neither side can qualify from the competition.