Peterborough United cast off the negativity to claim opening day win in the EFL Cup

Bookies, fans and pundits alike did not fancy Posh for this one but Luke Williams’ side cast all of the gloomy forecasts about the upcoming season aside to pick up a victory on opening today.

Of course this was against a League Two side and there will be tougher tests to come, it was a welcome confidence boost against a side that will be fancied to be among those competing for promotion in the fourth tier this season.

Posh played some good football in the first half and created multiple openings to grab a goal from open play but ultimately, the game was decided when Harry Leonard opened his account from the penalty spot after 20 minutes.

There was much less controlled in the second but never really looked in danger of losing their lead and secured a good win against former boss Steve Evans. It was also just the third time in the last ten seasons that Posh have made in past the EFL Cup first round.

There were a few surprises when the line-up was announced with Sam Hughes the big omission despite being declared fit by his manager and chairman ahead of kick-off. Carl Johnston was also a surprise starter in centre-midfield, preferred to Ben Woods. Tom O’Connor did make the side though and joined Owura Edwards and Harrison Jones as the new signings playing their first matches.

The league two hosts started the best and came close in the opening ten minutes from an attempted chip on the edge of the box that Jack Aitchison placed onto he roof of the bar and Joe Quigley who planted a diving header just wide of the post.

This momentum was abruptly ended after 19 minutes when Riley Harbottle threw up a hand and punched David Okagbue’s cross. The penalty was given and coolly slotted right into the corner by Leonard.

Posh grew in confidence from that moment on and were the only team posing a threat for the rest of the half. They went into the break perhaps rueing not being further ahead.

Owura Edwards was proving a handful for his full-back and set up Leonard barely two minutes after his first with a great chance to grab a second. He arrived late to Edwards’ cut back into the box but only hit his shot straight at the keeper.

A long range powerful effort from Tommy Leigh, 30 yards from goal, that Bass comfortably pushed away was the best Rovers could muster in the rest of the half.

Posh were then left head in hands again when Leonard led a swift counter, slid the ball into Bolu and while in space in the box he attempted to open up his body; he was looking for the far corner but scuffed a bad effort into the hands of Brad Young. Young denied him again at his near post in the closing minutes of the half.

O’Connor was given just the first half in his first match of any kind since January 17 and was replaced by Lucca Mendonca at half-time. Rovers brought on striker Fabrizio Cavegn and he had the Posh defence scrambling on to occasions in the opening five minutes. Once Okagbue had to dive at his feet to block a shot and then Bass had to get down low to save a shot of his looking for the far corner after he turned Mendonca.

Rovers had far more of the play in the second and one of the best chances fell to Harbottle on the hour mark when he was all alone in the six-yard box, picked out by Kofi Balmer’s long throw but he only cushioned a tame header to Bass.

Despite seeing far less of the ball and ceding much more control than the first half, Posh were rarely troubled in their backline and possession did not convert to chances for Rovers. Posh even came close to grabbing a second against the run of play with five minutes to go when Leonard rose highest in the box to steer a well-directed cross from Brandon Khela just wide of the post.

Posh: Alex Bass, Harley Mills, David Okagbue, Tom O’Connor (sub Lucca Mendonca, 46 mins), James Dornelly (sub Ben Woods, 66 mins), Carl Johnston (sub Evan Weir, 78 mins), Brandon Khela , Harrison Jones (sub Chris Conn-Clarke, 66 mins), Bolu Shofowoke, Owura Edwards, Harry Leonard (sub David Kamara, 87 mins).

Not used: Collin Andeng-Ndi, Patyrk Sykut, Ejiro Abbey, Eddie Fox

Rovers: Brad Young, Kofi Balmer, Ben Purrington, Richard Smallwood (sub Reiss Russell-Denny, 55 mins), Macauley Southam-Hales, Riley Harbottle, Clinton Mola (sub Keenan Gough, 55 mins), Shaq Forde, Joe Quigley (sub Bobby Kamwa, 70 mins), Tommy Leigh (sub Mees Rijks, 83 mins), Jack Aitchison (sub Fabrizio Cavegn, 46 mins)

Not used: Luke Southwood, Tom James, Jack Sparkes, Ciaran Kelly.

MATCH FACTS

Bookings: Rovers – Forde (foul).

Posh – Dornelly (foul), Jones (foul), Leonard (dissent).

Goals: Posh – Leonard (19 mins).

Referee: David Rock 4.

Attendance: 4,810 (424 Posh).