Malik on target and Will scores a screamer in Peterborough Under 21 win

The game also featured a brilliant strike from Will Van Lier, a goal from an anonymous trialist and a positive hour of action from midfielder Jeando Fuchs.

Posh survived an early scare when Donay O’Brien-Brady conceded a fourth minute penalty, but Justin Obikwu blazed his spot-kick over the crossbar.

Mothersille saw a ‘goal’ ruled out for offside after a fine Fuchs pass on eight minutes, but two minutes later he was celebrating.

There was a touch of good fortune as a penalty awarded for a foul on the trialist saw Mothersille’s spot-kick saved by Coventry ‘keeper Luke Bell only for the rebound to fall kindly to the Posh striker.

O’Brady was then thwarted by Bell, but the home ‘keeper was powerless on 19 minutes when Van Lier unleashed a rocket shot into the roof of the Coventry net from 25 yards for 2-0.

Fabio Tavares hit the post for Coventry, before Obikwu did pull a goal back on the half hour mark.

But Posh restored their two-goal lead within five minutes when the trialist converted from close range after some good work by right-back James Dornelly.

Dornelly made a goal-line clearance to keep Posh 3-1 up at the break and the visitors were pretty comfortable throughout the second-half once the trialist goalkeeper had made a fingertip stop to deny Tavares.

Mothersille, Kai Corbett and O’Brien-Brady all came close to extending the lead before the final whistle blew on just a third league win of the season, from 13 games, for Posh.

They are now third from bottom of the table above Coventry and Crewe.

Posh: Trialist A, Dornelly, Mills, Dreyer, O’Connell, Fuchs (sub Titchmarsh, 60 mins), Van Lier, Trialist B (sub Overton, 60 mins), Corbett, O’Brien, Mothersille. Unused subs: West, Bodnar, Chiha.