REPORT: PETERBOROUGH UNITED 3, WEST HAM U21s 0: Eisa bounces back to form as Posh nail the Hammers

The performance as much as the result should have lifted some of the gloom enveloping the club as pretty much everything manager Darren Ferguson probably wished for came true.

Eisa’s confidence-boosting goals were an obvious highlight, but a strong wing-back performance from Idris Kanu, a barnstorming midfield display from Ethan Hamilton and a classy defensive effort from Ronnie Edwards were also pleasing to view.

All the goals arrived after the break with Serhat Tasdemir claiming his first goal for the club.

And the fans were back, although not that many of them. It was lovely to hear ripples of applause, the booing of opponents and even a cry of ‘you don’t what your doing’ to referee Paul Howard was welcome.

The constant tannoy reminders to stay socially distanced were far more irritating.

Posh fielded only two of the team that started Saturday’s defeat at Portsmouth - that might have been a form decision rather than a rotation move - with Frazer Blake-Tracy and Hamilton the men holding their place.

The Hammers managed to find slots in their side for 31 year-old Andriy Yarmolenko, who managed to get booked for diving, and 30 year-old Craig Dawson, but Posh started the better.

Wing-backs were back with Kanu prominent on the right side. He fired a couple of dangerous crosses in which were well defended as was a centre from left wing-back Harrison Burrows.

Flynn Clarke had the ball in the back of the net on 16 minutes but he was adjudged to have kicked it out of the hands of dithering Hammers ‘keeper Nathan Trott.

Slowly, but surely the visitors started to exert control, although Yarmolenko looked a yard offside when forcing a save from Posh number one Dan Gyollai. From the corner Dawson should have scored.

Yarmolenko forced a diving save from Gyollai on the half hour just after a strike from Oladapo Afolayan was deflected just past the post.

Reece Brown countered with a terrific 25 yarder that whistled past an upright before Hammers responded with a sweeping move that ended with a Goncala Cardosa shot well deflected behind by Mason. Dawson had another headed opportunity from the set-piece which Brown headed clear.

Posh passed the ball neatly and crisply at times, but usually in their own defensive third.

Posh excelled after the break and should have taken the lead early on when Kanu found space and pulled the ball back perfectly for the onrushing Eisa. On this occasion he sidefooted a first-time shot over the bar.

The pair combined again a few minutes later after Clarke found Kanu. It was a much harder chance this time, but the outcome was sadly the same.

But it was a case of third time lucky as Kanu breached a high defensive line, advanced into the area and supplied a cross so good Eisa couldn’t miss from close range to give Posh a 57th minute lead.

It was a goal the second half performance merited and it was almost 2-0 when Clarke escaped behind the defence to head Tasdemir’s floated cross wide.

Eisa now had a spring in his step and tested Trott from 20 yards before Tasdemir’s snapshot following a half-cleared corner nestled in Trott’s midriff.

And Eisa then turned provider after pouncing on a deflected Hamilton shot and laying back for Tasdemir to slot home in the 71st minute. Eisa did look offside though.

Tasdemir could have struck again a couple of minutes later after exchanging passes with Harrison Burrows, but his shot was poorly struck and bobbled wide.

The Hammers did rally briefly, but the game was clinched when Clarke robbed a defender and fed Eisa to smash home his second goal.

It was a fitting finale and one that should have given Ferguson food for thought as far as selection for two key League One matches in the next week.

The crowd enjoyed it. They afforded the players, and the management team, a standing ovation on the final whistle.

Posh - Dan Gyollai, Ronnie Edwards, Frazer Blake-Tracy, Niall Mason, Flynn Clarke, Ethan Hamilton, Reece Brown (sub Kyle Barker, 82 mins), Harrison Burrows, Idris Kanu (sub Benjamin Mensah, 82 mins), Serhat Tasdemir, Mo Eisa.

Unused substitutes: Will Blackmore, Frankie Kent, Siriki Dembele, Ryan Broom, Bradley Rolt.

West Ham: Nathan Trott, Bernado Rosa (sub Daniel Chesters, 41 mins), Jamal Baptiste, Craig Dawson, Goncalo Cardoso, Andriy Yarmalenko, Keenan Forson, Alfie Lewis, Emmanuel Longelo (sub Kai Corbett, 66 mins), Oladapo Afolayan, Nathan Holland (sub Jayden Fevrier, 46 mins).

Unused substitutes: Joshua Okotcha, Daniel Jinadu, Sean Adarkwa, Kamari Sawyer..

Goals: Posh - Eisa (57 mins & 83 mins), Tasdemir (71 mins).

Cautions: Posh -

West Ham - Longelo (foul), Dawson (foul), Chester (foul), Yarmolenko (simulation)l

Referee: Paul Howard 8.

Attendance: 750 (approx).