Peterborough United boss Grant McCann praises calm, controlled and professional performance that proves Posh have the two best number nines in League One

Posh put in a professional performance to see off Salford City 3-0 thanks to a another goal from Ephron Mason-Clark, along with two top-quality late strikes from Jack Marriott to seal progress into the second round.

Posh will now face Shrewsbury away on the weekend on November 26.

While admitting, he did not really want the match in the first place, McCann was pleased with the attitude his side showed.

He said: “It’s a game we could have done without but we had to come here be calm, controlled and professional and I thought we were.

“Defensively we were excellent, they’re difficult to play against. They keep the ball for 70/80% of the play in League Two. You have to wait and set traps to punish them and in the first half we were really good that and we probably could have scored more than we did.

“In the second half, we were probably sloppy for a twenty-minute period but to get the second goal and the third was pleasing.”

The game also saw the return of Kwame Poku, who played 75 minutes after missing the last two games with injury. He provided an impressive assist for Mason-Clark’s opener.

Another of the four changes was Jack Marriott- who was expected to replace Jonson Clarke-Harris anyway but he did so due to him picking up the illness that has been going around the camp.

The same bug also ruled out Jack Taylor.

McCann was pleased to see Marriott find the net for the first time in 12 matches and praised his attitude as Marriott has largely been restricted to substitute appearances in that time.

He added: “It was pleasing to see Kwame back tonight, he’s such an important player for us. I’m delighted for him.

“The two goals will be great for Jack, he’s having to be patient. He’s got Jonno in front of him in the way we play at the minute

“Jack has come in because Jonno has been ill over the last couple of days He’s a goalscorer and that’s it. I’ve said all along, we’ve got the two best numbers nines in the league; Jack just showed everyone that again tonight. I’m delighted for him as he keeps his head down and works so hard every day.

“Competition for places is what we want and quite a lot of boys tonight have put a really good performance in.”