Peterborough United Under 21s returned to winning ways against Wigan Athletic
Peterborough United snapped a three-game losing streak in the Professional Development Under 21 League with an emphatic 3-0 win over Wigan Athletic at the idverde Training Ground on Tuesday.
An early penalty from Harley Mills was followed by second-half goals for Cian Hayes and M’Kel Campbell as a strong Posh team eased to a deserved win. As well as Hayes, regular first-team squad members Bradley Ihionvien, David Ajiboye, George Nevett and Abraham Odoh also started, as did new signing central defender Justin Osagie.
It was a blistering start for Posh as a trip on Hayes enabled Mills to smash home from the penalty spot in the third minute. Left-back Mills was denied a second goal, after a fine run from Odoh, by a smart seventh-minute save. Hayes was a lively presence throughout and one mazy dribble ended with a last-ditch tackle as the referee ignored claims for a penalty.
Ihionvien saw one ‘goal’ disallowed for a foul and shot over the bar from a decent position just before the break, and just after Tom Costello and Finn O’Boyle had passed up reasonable opportunities for the visitors. Will Blackmore made a fine save to thwart O’Boyle.
Costello then missed a sitter at the start of the second-half before Posh took control again. Hayes saw a goalbound shot well blocked, but the summer signing did strike on 65 minutes when finding a neat finish after a terrific run and cross from substitute David Kamara. Another Posh sub Pemi Aderoju then came close 15 minutes from time before Campbell completed the scoring five minutes from time with a cracker from the edge of the area. Mills had struck a post four minutes before the final goal.
The win moved Posh up to fifth in the Northern Section and they have games in hand on all the teams above them. Posh are next in Under 21 League action at home to Fleetwood on Tuesday, November 5.
Posh: Blackmore, Rose, Osagie (sub Aderoju, 69 mins), Nevett, Mills, Young, Campbell, Ajiboye, Odoh, Hayes, Ihionvien (sub Kamara, 56 mins).. Unused subs: Smith, Atkins, Fitzpatrick.