Peterborough United make Carabao Cup progress on penalties in game both entertaining and ridiculous in equal measure

The match finished 3-3 after 90 minutes before Posh triumphed 7-6 in a penalty shootout after a second half in which they were soundly second best.

They sucker punched their opponents right at the end though after being on the backfoot for almost all of the second period. Danny Ormerod’s second headed goal of the night set up the dramatic finish.

It was a match where Posh had to battle adversity having gone behind after two minutes because of a monumental error from Alex Bass who was tackled just outside his six yard box. The Posh keeper will be glad that his penalty save in the shootout helped win the game and will spare his blushes somewhat.

Posh bounced back well to lead through Harry Leonard and Ormerod strikes. It was 2-2 at the break but could have been about 5-5. The second half was largely one-way traffic, but Posh hung in there and struck late again, just like at the weekend, and held their nerve from the spot.

It was a comically entertaining match between two sides who will have plenty to pick and criticise in the cold light of day, but Posh can celebrate as the ones who got over the line.

Posh made six changes from the weekend’s draw at MK Dons. Ormerod and Harry Ashfield came in for their first starts for the club and were joined in the line-up by Brandon Khela, Lucca Mendonca, Harley Mills and Ethan Williams. Despite all of the changes, there was no change in formation and Mendonca was asked to play right-back as the knocks fans were warned about pre-game appeared to be numerous. Ben Woods and James Dornelly dropped from the squad completely.

The opening 10 minutes proved to be one of the most ridiculous ever seen at London Road. Within two minutes, goalkeeper Alex Bass had made an almighty error with the ball at his feet; gifting it straight to Cameron McGeehan, he first deflected an effort onto the bar before bending down to score with his head.

Posh were reeling but still almost equalised barely a minute later when Owura Edwards was slipped in on goal but Kieran Flavell made a good low stop.

The fans had barely stopped booing Bass when he produced a wonderful triple save. In a truly improbable moment considering his start, to Posh in touch, while preventing the atmosphere turning truly toxic.

With the 10n minutes of ridiculousness over, Posh actually grew into the game and even took charge. Harley Mills hit the top of the bar before Harry Leonard returned to the scoresheet. Flavell spilled Mendonca’s cross right to his feet and like a true poacher, he poked that ball home.

It was almost 2-1 four minutes later when Ormerod made an interception on halfway and charged in on goal, but he couldn’t get his shot over Flavell and the keeper made the save. He had to wait less than two minutes though for his first Posh goal when, on 25 minutes, Harley Mills picked him out beautifully from a free-kick and he buried his header across goal.

In a frantic half, Barnsley came into it again in the closing stages and ultimately equalised when Reyes Cleary skinned Mendonca, cut in from the left and curled an effort into the corner. Questions were again asked of Bass as it looked like he could have got more of a hand to it.

The Posh ‘keeper was in the action again at the start of the second half as the visitors stayed on top of the game. Luca Connell, Amani Richards and Cleary all hit powerful shots that needed saving.

Bass was helpless on the hour mark but was glad to see McGeehan hit an effort just a few yards from goal into the turf and over the bar after being faced with a tricky bounce just before a cross reached him.

All of Barnsley’s pressure finally paid 15 minutes from time when Posh again couldn’t get anywhere near Cleary. Chances to intercept were missed and he ended up with the ball at his feet. He burst past Mills like he wasn’t there, dribbled into the box and bent an effort past the fingertips of Bass and into the far corner.

There wasn't much coming back the other way until, two minutes from time, when Mills once again crossed the ball right onto the head of Ormerod.

After a game which lacked quality on a lot of occasions, it was an incredibly high-quality shootout where no goalkeeper was allowed to get near 12 kicks. Ultimately, substitute Luke Alker fluffed his lines, Bass made the save and Harrison Jones smashed in the winner.

Harry Leonard, Ormerod, Mills, Chris Conn-Clarke, Liam Kelly and Josh Feeney also scored their Posh spot-kicks.

MATCH FACTS

Posh – Alex Bass, Harley Mills, Lucca Mendonca (sub Chris Conn-Clarke 95 mins), Josh Feeney, David Okagbue, Brandon Khela (sub Harrison Jones, 57 mins), Harry Ashfield (sub Liam Kelly, 57 mins), Ethan Williams (sub Bolu Shofowoke, 75 mins), Owura Edwards, Harry Leonard, Danny Ormerod

Not used – Collin Andeng-Ndi, Evan Weir, Ejiro Abbey, Eddie Fox, Noah Freeman

Barnsley – Kieran Flavell, Arley Kay, Georgie Gale, Connor O’Riordan, Cameron McGeehan (sub Luke Alker, 84 mins), Ben Toure (sub Noah Town 60 mins) , Tyrese Noslin, Amani Richards (sub Clayton Taylor 60 mins), Reyes Cleary, Patrick Kelly, Luca Connell

Not used – Jake Andrassy, Jack Shepherd, Makenzie Kirk, Jubril Okedina, Leo Farrell, Jonathan Bland

Bookings – Posh: Mendonca (foul)

Barnsley: O’Riordan (foul), Richards (time wasting), McGeehan (foul)

Goals – Posh: Leonard (19 mins), Ormerod (27, 88 mins)

Barnsley: McGeehan (2 mins), Cleary (40, 74 mins)

Ref – Thomas Parsons 5

Attendance- 3,105 (301 Barnsley)