Big names fire Peterborough United under-21s to win over Burnley

Posh secured back-to-back victories in the Professional Development League thanks to goals from Joel Randall, Joe Taylor, David Ajiboye and Hector Kyprianou.

The first-team squad regulars were joined by Ben Thompson, who also started the match, as Grant McCann looked to get some fitness into his fringe players ahead what could potentially be five away games in a little over two weeks.

The match at the idverde Training Ground was Posh’s final league match of the calendar year. They currently sit sixth with 16 points from 14 games.

Posh started well and broke the deadlock when Kellan Hickinson fed the ball down the left-hand side to Joel Randall, who advanced to the byline and cut inside before sending a curling effort into the back-post after 16 minutes.

Posh pressed on but had to wait until the second half before Joe Taylor could double the lead. It was a beauty as well as the ball fell kindly to him just inside the box and he curled a left-footed effort into the top left corner.

He was involved in the third as well, flicking on Randall’s pass to the feet of Ajiboye, who advanced into the box before slotting the ball past the keeper.

The Clarets pulled one goal back on 80 minutes as Mellon was played in by Jack Turner, he rounded Will Lakin and found the back of the net from distance. Posh reinstated their three-goal advantage just four minutes later though. It was an outstanding team goal, one-touch out of the back to beat the visitors’ press before Taylor advanced towards goal, teeing up Kyprianou to fire home.

Boss Matthew Etherington said: "Burnley are a very good side, they moved the ball really well and was a good test for us. All the goals we scored were outstanding and they came from us building in our own defensive third, in particular the third and fourth goals. So, there's plenty to be pleased about, especially with the weather during the match, and played exactly how we wanted to in spells.

"We had a second-year scholar at right-back, two first-year pros at centre-half, so to only conceded one goal against a really good team, albeit the goal conceded was poor. I thought we looked secured defensively and that's something we have been working on for the last week, so that was pleasing to see."

Posh’s next match comes against Aston Villa in the Premier League Cup at Stamford’s Zeeco Stadium on November 25.

Posh: Lakin, Dornelly (Arthur, 77min), Fox, Thomas, Powell (McCann, 77min), B. Thompson (Titchmarsh, 77min), Kyprianou, Hickinson (Darlington, 55min), Ajiboye, Taylor, Randall.