Peterborough United fall at the first FA Youth Cup hurdle after a penalty shootout
Peterborough United suffered a disappointing first round FA Youth Cup exit at Mansfield Town on Wednesday night.
Posh went down 5-4 on penalties to the young Stags after the teams drew 2-2 in 90 minutes and a 30-minute period of extra failed to deliver a winning goal.
Posh dominated a lot of the game, but had to come from behind twice through Kurtis Simmons in the first-half and Luca Christoudias in the 88th minute.
Josh Walters scored a terrific individual goal for the home side against the run of play in the 17th minute and Logan Merry put them back in front with a 62nd minute header.
Simmons struck the post and the crossbar in the first-half either side of his clinical 36th minute following a free kick move.
Christoudias was denied a 48th-minute goal by a fine save as was substitute Junior Crozier 15 minutes from time when Posh were searching for their second equaliser.
That second goal did arrive courtesy of a fine piece of control and a neat finish from Christoudias.
Posh peppered the home goal in the first period of extra time, but found a goalkeeper in top form, before two tired teams struggled through the final 15 minutes.
Crozier missed the second Posh penalty, while Mansfield converted all five of theirs to book a trip to Wigan Athletic in the second round. Christoudias, Chibuzo Okoli, Aaron Sudakaran and Oliver Arber scored penalties in the shootout for Posh.
Posh: Bucknor, Bushell (sub Mfuri, 84 mins), Joseph, Christoudias, Sudakaran, Arber. Morgan-Antonio (sub Okoli, 75 mins), Jones, Simmons (sub Loatan, 115 mins), Mlityalwa (sub Crozier, 63 mins), Dagne (sub NdogJang, 90 mins).