MATCH REPORT: Lloyd the match-winner in impressive reserve team display

A second-half goal from Danny Lloyd secured victory against a strong visiting side.

“The team were excellent,” McCann enthused. “There were a lot of very good individual performances. Chris Forrester was exceptional in the second half as was Idris Kanu, while Danny Lloyd was also good as waas Andrew Hughes.

“The attitude and application was impressive. The players know these games are important if they want to start for the first team.”

These matches have been arranged partly in order to keep striker Ricky Miller fit while he serves his six-match suspension. He’s halfway through it now and champing at the bit to get started.

Posh should have won by a bigger margin against a mansfield team who included former Posh players Bobby Olejnik and Alfie Potter.

Lloyd and Miller both saw free-kicks well held by Olejnik while Kanu and Andrea Borg caused plenty of problems for the Stags. Miller was a handful throughout and was involved in the only goal of the game, his cross was met by Craig Mackail-Smith, but Olejnik could only divert the ball into the path of Lloyd who made no mistake from close-range.

Mackail-Smith, who continues to train with the football club as he tries to secure his future away from the ABAX Stadium, played just over 75 minutes alongside Miller in attack. Chris Forrester went close to adding a second late on but saw his effort clear the crossbar.

New Posh ‘keeper Conor O’Malley had litle opportunity to impress.

Posh: O’Malley, Shephard, Penny, Hughes, Freestone, Forrester, Lloyd, Borg, Miller, Mackail-Smith (sub Barker), Kanu.