Defeat in the heat for Peterborough United in their opening friendly of the summer.
Peterborough United tasted defeat in the heat in their opening pre-season friendly of the summer against AFC Wimbledon on Friday.
The match was played in temperatures close to 30 degrees at the La Nucia Football Center in Spain, a complex the two teams have shared this week which didn’t stop 50 or so Posh fans attending a fixture decided by a single goal from Dons’ on-loan Lincoln City midfielder Ali Smith early in the second-half.
As expected Posh fielded two different XIs for 45 minutes each with the second-half team creating the majority of the chances for Darren Ferguson’s men.
New signing Cian Hayes did force a superb save from new Dons’ keeper Lewis Ward on 17 minutes after a fine run into the penalty area, while Kwame Poku came close twice in the last quarter of the game before Joel Randall was thwarted by Ward.
Poku was last to threaten 10 minutes from time after good work from Donay O’Brien-Brady, but a goalbound shot was deflected over the bar.
The Dons struck the crossbar through Omar Bugiel in the first-half, while Joe Pigott came close before Smith struck the only goal of the game with a deflected shot.
Club captain Harrison Burrows did not feature for Posh and neither did Pemi Aderoju, but every other player in Spain featured.
Posh (1st half): Bilokapic, Adebisi, Fernandez, Nevett, Ajiboye, Kyprianou, De Havilland, Hayes, Conn-Clarke, Wakeling, Mothersille.
Posh (2nd half): Steer, Dornelly, Mills, Rose, Crichlow, Collins, O'Brien-Brady, Poku, Randall, Odoh, Jones.
Unused sub: Aderoju.