Peterborough United’s Premier League Under 23 Cup win over Charlton Athletic was Taylor-made as 19 year-old claimed a hat-trick and two assists, while first-team star was also on target

Jack Taylor (centre) celebrates his goal for Posh Under 23s against Charlton. Joe Taylor is on the left. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com

Kellan Hickinson and substitute Luke Harris also netted as Posh, who finished above Premier League sides Burnley and Everton their group, romped home in the first knockout stage. Nineteen year-old Joe Taylor also supplied two assists.

Charlton actually scored first when Daniel Kanu converteda Jeremy Santos cross in the minute, but excellence from Joe Taylor enabled Jack Taylor to equalise minutes later.

Joe Taylor was denied twice by the visiting ‘keeper before he started his personal goal spree on 20 minutes. Huddersfield loanee Reece Brown, who is ineligible to play for the first-team against his parent club tonight, supplied the pass for Taylor who slotted into an empty net.

It was soon 3-1 as Joe Taylor struck again following fine work from early substitute Andrew Oluwabori. Taylor finished with an expert lob over an advancing ‘keeper.

Posh were inches away from extending their advantage five minutes after the re-start, Taylor broke free on the right-hand side, tried to find the Oluwabori free inside the box but his low cross pushed away by the keeper. Posh ‘keeper William Lakin was then called into action with a superb reaction save to tip over a deflected effort from outside the box.

The visitors went down to 10 men after Nazir Bakrin was shown a straight red for denying a goalscoring opportunity. That seemed to rejuvenate Charlton Athletic as Kanu netted home his second of the game to cut the deficit.

Despite a late surge of pressure from the visitors, Posh capitalized on the extra man as Joe Taylor sealed his hat-trick, with another splendid dink over the on-rushing keeper after Oluwabori set the forward on his way.

Harris netted Posh’s fifth goal of the afternoon as he cooly converted from close-range after a superb cross by Oluwabori picked out the midfielder at the back-post. Joe Taylor then turned provider in the closing seconds of the match. His pass found Kellan Hickinson bursting through the middle and he fired past the keeper to seal a terrific performance from the under 23s in the Premier League Cup.

Posh U23: Lakin, Mensah, O’Connell, Barker, Peters, Fernandez, Brown, Jack Taylor, Joe Taylor, Kellan Hickinson, Oscar Tonge. Subs: Trialist, Harris, Chong, Oluwabori, Darlington.