Peterborough United's unbeaten start to the summer continued after fine attacking display at Colchester United
Peterborough United’s unbeaten start to pre-season continued with an entertaining 3-2 success at Colchester United on Tuesday night.
Posh have now beaten a team from Gibraltar, drawn with a Saudi Pro League side and now seen off a League Two side on their own patch. It is only summer football, and they are only friendlies, but all crumbs of comfort are gratefully received after the dismal end to last season.
And this win was more satisfying as it was accompanied by a big churn of players. Eight changes were made after half an hour with two more following at the break and yet Posh played pretty fluently throughout. They could easily have won by a more handsome margin.
Posh were twice pegged back after taking leads through former Colchester winger Owura Edwards and Harry Leonard before Brandon Khela grabbed a winner three minutes from time from 25 yards.
Centre forward Leonard struck from the penalty spot, something he didn’t always manage last season, to crown a lively performance individual display which deserved even greater rewards.
Edwards opened the scoring with a far post tap-in on eight minutes following an excellent team move down the left, but the hosts equalised just past the half hour mark, and just after the visitors had made their wholesale changes, when on-loan Posh striker Brad Ihionvien set-up Jack Payne to score.
Leonard’s 12-yard strike after some holding at a corner on 75 minutes was cancelled out when Milton Oni nipped in to score on 81 minutes.
But Khela had the final word to seal a deserved victory.
Leonard had been thwarted twice by a trialist home ‘keeper, while Kyrell Lisbie, whose little brother Kaion was in the opposition line-up, and Ben Woods also came close in the second-half.
Posh visit Peterborough Sports for another friendly on Wednesday (7.45pm kick off).
Posh (first 30 minutes): Bass, Bushell, Weir, Arber, Johnston, Jones, Andrews, Conn-Clarke, Edwards, Shofowoke, Kamara.
Posh: (after 30 minutes): Bass, Dornelly, Mills, Okagbue, Mendonca, Woods, Edwards (sub Lisbie, 46 mins), Sykut, Khela, Shofowoke (sub Abbey, 46 mins), Leonard.
Goals: Posh – Edwards (8 mins). Leonard (pen, 75 mins), Khela (87 mins).
Colchester – Payne (31 mins), Oni (81 mins).
Attendance: 1,062 (128 Posh).