Peterborough United players waste chances to impress in defeat at the hands of Luton Town

But there were points of interest in this 2-0 home defeat at the hands of Championship side Luton Town, both good and bad. Summer signing from Leyton Orient Hector Kyprianou played with calm assurance in midfied before he was forced out of the match in the second half because of injury, while Ben Thompson looks the sort of busy nuisance who could thrive in central areas in League One.

Less convincing were the finishing of Sammie Szmodics and some poor decision-making by his fellow forwards.

It was something of a surprise to see the a less than full strength side take on Championship opposition though. The presumed first-choice midfield of Jeando Fuchs and Jack Taylor was despatched to King’s Lynn for a start, while Harrison Burrows was again deployed at London Road as a full-back, while a real left-sided defender in Joe Tomlinson was on parade in Norfolk.

It was pretty much 4-3-3 against Luton with Szmodics and Ben Thompson both flitting about behind new club captain Jonson Clarke-Harris and wide players Kwame Poku and Joel Randall.

Luton looked the smarter side early on and Burrows had to take up a good position behind goalkeeper Harvey Cartwright to clear one dangerous cross before Posh started to settle.

Poku was the first to sting the hands of Luton ‘keeer Matt Macey on 16 minutes before Burrows forced an even better save five minutes later. Both strikes were from the 20-yard range.

But it was Luton who opened the scoring against the run of play on 27 minutes when a careless foul by Kyprianou on the edge of the Posh penalty area was punished by Cauley Woodrow’s precision finish, the ball travelling into the corner of the net Cartwright should have been protecting.

Ben Thompson should have equalised immediately after an error in the Luton defence. Randall pounced, fed Clarke-Harris whose scuffed shot really should have been turned in by the summer signing from eight yards.

Luton finished the half the stronger with Cameron Jerome volleying a good chance wide from a poorly-defended corner. Another set-piece at the start of the second-half should have led to a goal for Dan Potts, but he muffed it.

it took a couple of spicy challenges, one by Poku and one on Ronnie Edwards, to liven Posh up. An excellent Burrows cross found no takers before Szmodics rather telegraphed his finish after Clarke-Harris freed him into the area and Macey saved easily.

An even better chance to equalise fell to Clarke-Harris 13 minute from time when Poku’s deep right-wing cross found him at the far post, but the big man headed badly wide.

And misfortune then cost Posh a second goal as Frankie Kent deflected Luton substitute Harry Cornick’s attempted cross into his own net seven minutes from time.

Posh almost pulled a goal back immediately when Poku’s diving header from a fine headed pass by Clarke-Harris was deflected past a post. Ben Thompson had supplied the precise cross.

And Szmodics missed a glaring opportunity on 88 minutes after a superb flick from Joe Taylor, but the Posh forward slipped the ball past the post as well as the ‘keeper.

It doesn’t matter too much of course, although the competitive nature of perfectionist manager Grant McCann would have meant much to ponder in the debrief.

Posh: Harvey Cartwright, Nathan Thompson (sub Janos Bodnar, 77 mins), Harrison Burrows, Ronnie Edwards, Frankie Kent, Hector Kyprianou (sub Joe Taylor, 73 mins), Ben Thompson, Sammie Szmodics, Kwame Poku, Joel Randall (sub Will Van Lier, 85 mins), Jonson Clarke-Harris. Unused subs: Will Lakin, JAndrew Oluwabori, Harry Thomas, Luke Harris.

Goals: Luton – Woodrow (27 mins), Kent (og, 83 mins).

Referee: Josh Smith