Peterborough United boss so proud of the collection of kids, rookies and fringe players that knocked Portsmouth out of the Carabao Cup

Peterborough United Manager Darren Ferguson celebrates at full-time. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

Darren Ferguson was proud to be manager of Peterborough United on Tuesday night as a collection of kids, rookies and fringe players knocked Portsmouth out of the Carabao Cup at Fratton Park.

Posh reached the third round for the first time since the 2013-14 season when they went down 2-0 to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.

It took a penalty shootout to book a place in Wednesday night’s draw, but given Posh had played the final 30 minutes of normal time with 10 men against a side who threw several first-team regulars into the game it was a superb effort. Young Charlie O’Connell was the player to be sent off.

It finished 1-1 after 90 minutes after Posh had taken the lead through David Ajiboye’s first goal for the club. Posh won the shootout 5-4 with Ajiboye also slotting home the winning penalty.

David Ajiboye of Peterborough United scores for Posh at Portsmouth. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

Match report

Ferguson left all 11 players who started Saturday's League One match against Derby County at home. He filled up the substitutes’ bench with a handful of 16 year-olds. Four players aged 20 or under eventually made their senior debuts.

"I felt so proud to be the manager of that team as they went over to our fans to celebrate the win,” Ferguson enthused. “It is an experience the younger players will never forget.

“They deserved it. What a performance they gave after I changed the entire team.

David Ajiboye of Peterborough United scoring the winning penalty. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

"Even if we had lost on penalties or to a last minute goal I’d have been proud of the team. They showed great determination to get through.

"I told the players beforehand this game was as important as any other we’d played this season.

"I needed players to stand up and show me they are ready to play on Saturday and some showed up really well. Ricky-Jade Jones and Josh Knight were oustanding for a start and Josh and Manu Fernandez headed every ball out of the box in the last 30 minutes. We kept our shape really well after we went down to 10 men.

"I have some decisions to make now before we come back down here at the weekend.

"We changed shape as I wanted to play with two strikers and we scored a good goal, and we could have had others. We should have had a blatant penalty, but there were also times when we didn’t play the ball quickly enough and we didn’t show enough belief as we went backwards a lot.

“But we really dug in against a team who ended up with half the team that will play against us on Saturday on the pitch.

“As a club we are always together. It’s seamless between the first team and the under 21s.”

Posh are back at Portsmouth for a League One clash on Saturday.

The draw for the third round of the Carabao Cup will take place live on Sky Sports after the second round tie between Grant McCann’s Doncaster and Everton.