Peterborough United's very fast start ensured they finished their pre-season programme with an impressive win against Championship opposition

Posh were 3-0 up inside the first 15 minutes and in truth were comfortable winners with the visitors’ pulling a goal back 10 minutes before the break and adding some respectability to the scoreline with a 90th minute goal.

Posh of course never let 3-0 leads slip. Thankfully they didn’t get 4-0 ahead.

Kwame Poku, Ephron Mason-Clark and Hector Kyprianou scored for Posh in a display that also saw impressive displays, certainly in the first-half from Joel Randall, Archie Collins and Peter Kioso.

Posh started with an XI that could play in the League One opener at Reading next weekend, successful and ill-timed bids for Jonson Clarke-Harris and Ronnie Edwards notwithstanding.

Skipper Mason-Clark and summer signing Collins joined nine of the team humbled by neighbours Peterborough Sports on Tuesday with Ricky-Jade Jones and Ryan De Havilland in action in the club’s private friendly at Watford.

The visitors started with former Posh star Siriki Dembele on the left hand side of a front three.

Dembele was hacked down by Poku after two minutes and hit the post in the third minute after a sprint past two defenders, but just over 10 minutes later Posh had stormed into that three-goal lead!

The hosts passed the ball about splendidly with Randall showing off skills many had presumed he didn’t possess. Randall found space, glided past opponents and passed accurately in a very impressive first-half. Even his deadball delivery was good and that hasn’t been said about many Posh players in recent seasons.

Randall was involved in the opening goal when accepting a neat touch from Jonson Clarke-Harris and driving forward into the penalty area before laying off a perfect pass to Mason-Clark.

Mason-Clark’s shot wasn’t great, but it took a kind deflection off visiting ‘keeper John Ruddy enabling Poku to head home from very close range.

The captain’s finish was much more impressive after 12 minutes when his 20-yard shot found the net off the inside of the post and Mason-Clark was also heavily involved in the third goal in the 15th minute. His dart down the left was followed by a cross which Kyprianou sidefooted superbly first-time into the top corner.

Posh understandably couldn’t keep that level up, but they were secure enough at the back with Ronnie Edwards and Kioso both spotting danger well to keep Scott Hogan at bay.

But 10 minutes before the break they were opened up a simple through ball which enabled Hogan to scoot clear and score, although Posh number one Nicholas Bilokapic almost did enough to turn the ball past a post.

There was an immediate chance for the Championship side to claim a quick second goal, but Juninho Bacuna managed to hit his his own man in the wall. Collins, who looks an accomplished midfielder, had conceded the foul.

Posh played some lovely football at the start of the second-half. The commitment to passing out from the back remain, and probably will Edwards departs, and while there was the occasional scary moment, they relieved pressure impressively in the main.

Keeping Dembele quiet was going to be key to winning as well and he came alive on 56 minutes to create a chance for Tyler Roberts which the former Leeds United striker muffed.

Dembele departed with 20 minutes to go with the cheers drowning out a smattering of jeers as the game drifted without incident in either goalmouth.

The many substitutions made by Birmingham disrupted their rhythm, but also gave them fresher legs than a Posh team committed to 90 minutes for all.

One of the many Blues’ subs Lukas Jutkiewicz headed over from a right-wing cross and Clarke-Harris defended a dangerous free-kick well at the far post, before also clearing the follow-up corner.

Posh will be disappointed that a clip down the right wing enabled Jutkiewicz to steer home a precise cross in the 90th minute, but in truth they were worthy winners thanks to that blistering start.

After nine of these players never looked like scoring against non-league neighbours Peterborough Sports in 90 minutes, this was quite the reaction.

Posh: Nicholas Bilokapic, Harrison Burrows, Ronnie Edwards, Romoney Crichlow, Peter Kioso, Hector Kyprianou, Archie Collins, Joel Randall, Kwame Poku, Ephron Mason-Clark, Jonson Clarke-Harris

Unused subs: Sam Dreyer, Torin Ntege, Josh Marcon.

Birmingham City: John Ruddy, Marcel Oakley, Dion Sanderson, Marc Roberts (sub Kevin Long, 54 mins), Emmanuel Longelo, Krystian Bielik (sub Ivan Sunjic, 56 mins), Jordan James, Juninho Bacuna (sub Brandon Khela, 80 mins), Siriki Dembele (sub Lukas Jutkiewicz, 71 mins), Scott Hogan (sub Alfie Chang, 77 mins), Tyler Roberts (sub Keshi Anderson, 65 mins).

Unused subs: Niel Etheridge, Josh Williams,

Goals: Posh – Poku (5 mins), Mason-Clark (12 mins), Kyprianou (15 mins).

Birmingham – Hogan (35 mins), Jutkiewicz (90 mins).

Referee: Neil Hair.

Attendance: to follow

A back-up Posh XI lost 3-0 in a private friendly at Championship side Watford.