Peterborough United end pre-season on a high with impressive 3-0 demolition of Hull City

They say pre-season results don’t matter and on the whole that is a good thing for Posh given that, before today, after returning to England from a training camp in Portugal, their solitary win in pre-season had come against step 5 non-league side Deeping Rangers.

Posh were, however, able to send a message to the rest of League One that they mean business with a convincing 3-0 win over Championship Hull in their final pre-season fixture before they get the real stuff underway at Cheltenham Town next Saturday (July 30). At the same time, a young Posh side battled their way to a credible 1-1 draw at National League Scunthorpe.

It was a performance characterised by strong pressing and excellence from Kwame Poku, who had a hand in all three goals.

Sammie Szmodics (2) and Joel Randall were the lucky benefactors from his work in a game that Posh killed off with an impressive two goals in the opening three minutes of the second half. McCann’s former side then largely rolled over after than in what turned into a comfortable pre-season outing for Posh.

In a potential clue to the line-up that McCann may field against Cheltenham, he set up his side in a 4-2-3-1 with Lucas Bergstrom the only new signing to get the nod from the start. The 19-year-old seizing his last chance to impress McCann before the start of the season with Harvey Cartwright sidelined with a minor thigh problem.

Posh could lead almost straight away but Jonson Clarke-Harris could only balloon a shot high over the bar when in a good position.

Hull then grew into the game and began to dominate the ball but they struggled to create any clear opening due to an impressive Posh press. Only a mistake from Ronnie Edwards, when he was robbed by Oscar Estupinan, who proceeded to whistle an effort past Bergstrom’s far post, let the visitors in.

Just moments after, Posh should have had the lead when Fuchs put the ball on a plate for Randall in the box, only for him to fumble his kick.

The break through did come in the 26th minute though and in similar fashion. This time quick feet on the right from Kwame Poku dazzled the opposition, before he laid the ball off to Nathan Thompson cross the ball and give Szmodics a simple tap-in.

From then on, Posh grew in confidence and began to take control of the match themselves. Poku was the standout and gave his full-back a torrid time and came the closest to making it 2-0, with an effort from range Matt Ingram had to be at full-stretch to tip wide.

Posh then made another electric start to the second half and doubled their advantage in less that a minute. Poku again provided the magic on the right and this time, Randall was the recipient of an easy finish.

Almost straight from that kick-off, Poku then played a deft ball to put Szmodics in one-on-one and he made no mistake, slotting underneath Ingram.

That burst rather appeared to take the wind out of Hull’s sails and even after Posh brought on their entire bench, excluding young goalkeeper Will Lakin, after an hour, they continued to dominate.

Ricky-Jade Jones missed a golden chance to make it 4-0 after Ingram pushed Ben Thompson’s long-range effort right into his path. What should have been a simple finish was spooned wide.

Hull huffed and puffed in the final half hour but their delivery into the box was poor and Bergstrom and later Lakin, who came on for the final ten minutes, ware completely untroubled.

Posh: Bergstrom (Lakin 80 mins), Burrows (Tomlinson 60 mins), Kent, Edwards (Knight 60 mins), Nathan Thompson, Fuchs, Taylor, Szmodics (Ben Thompson 60 mins), Randall (Jones 60 mins), Poku (Ajiboye 60 mins), Clarke-Harris (Marriott 60 mins)