Peterborough United teenager is ready to play League One football, Eisa and Szmodics looked sharp, back-up goalkeeper and young full-back also impress Darren Ferguson

The teenager netted his second EFL Tropy goal of the season in a 4-2 win over Fulham Under 21s at the Weston Homes Stadium tonight (October 6) just 10 minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute.

The win, and Cambridge United’s 4-2 win over Burton Albion, means the Posh and the Us have qualified for the knockout stages of the Trophy before they play each other next month.

Clarke wasn’t the only player to impress Ferguson tonight as fellow goalscorers Mo Eisa, Sammie Szmodics and George Boyd also caught the manager’s eye ahead of the big League One local derby at Northampton Town on Saturday (October 10).

Clarke won’t be available for that game as he is on international duty for Scotland Under 18s. Boyd could have played his last Posh match as the club are keen to remove him from the wage bill ahead of the October 16 transfer deadline.

“Flynn is ready to play in any game,” Ferguson enthused. “He was outstanding again tonight. He’s going to be come player.

“Offensively we were very good tonight. Sammie Szmodics looked very sharp. We were playing against a talented, if very young Fulham side, but I got exactly what I wanted out of Sammie. He was bright, he was busy, he scored and he worked hard.

“The fact he played 60 minutes tonight is no reflection on the team I will pick for Saturday as getting some extra minutes into him was the only plan.

“Mo Eisa was very good also. He was another to look sharp. He could have had a hat-trick tonight. He took his goal superbly and was then denied by two unbelievable goalline clearances. That;s what you get with Mo and when he’s played recently we’ve been guilty of not getting the ball to him.

“And nothing Boydy does will ever surprise me. His attitude is always first-class and he was very good tonight. The situation with him and the salary cap is very unfortunate.

“I was pleased with Dan Gyollai in goal as well. The transition from under 23 football to the first team is not easy, but he made some excellent saves.

“Benjamin Mensah was also very good, but we were far too open tonight. We gave the ball away too easily so it became a bit like a basketball match which didn’t please me. We had 24 shots which is very good, but Fulham also had far too many. That’s something we need to work on.”

Ferguson fielded transfer-listed Jason Naismith and his midfield pairing of Reece Brown and Ethan Hamilton could well get another run out at Northampton in the absence of Jack Taylor who is on international duty with Ireland Under 21s.