Peterborough United Under 23s fail to deliver a performance to match the quality of the St George’s Park facilities, but senior men got some important minutes into their legs

The clubs have agreed to play both league games at the England football headquarters to cut down on travel in these Covid-infected days.

They were even presented with the main stadium pitch on which to play, but a drab goalless contest ensued.

That Posh kept a clean sheet was no great surprise given that League One promotion heroes Frankie Kent and Mark Beevers were paired in the middle of the defence. More frustrating was the lack of punch up top with an attack that included another promotion star Joe Ward as well as teenage speed merchant Ricky-Jade Jones.

“We got minutes into the players that needed them,” Posh first-team boss Darren Ferguson said. “It was important for Frankie, Beevs and Joe Ward to play 90 minutes, while Ricky got a big 45 minutes under his belt.”

Jones did test the Wigan ‘keeper after one strong burst into the area, while Kai Corbett struck the post from an early free kick. Emmanuel Fernandez headed just over and Beevers saw a shot blocked in the best of the first-half action.

Half-time substiture Joe Taylor came closest to breaking the deadlock after the break, but once shots from Taylor and Ward had cleared the crossbar there were no further alarms.

James Carragher, son of Jamie Carragher, played for Wigan. Like dad. he’s a defender.

Posh: Blackmore, Kent, Mensah (sub Taylor, 46 mins), Barker, Beevers, Fernandez, Ward, Harris, Gyamfi, Corbett, Jones (sub Oluwabori, 46 mins). Unused subs: Laycock, Bojang, Thomas.