REPORT: Peterborough United 5, Portsmouth 1: Posh power into the Papa John’s Trophy quarter-finals

A very strong Posh side beat a much weakened Pompey team 5-1 at the Weston Homes Stadium with goals from Jack Taylor, Jonson Clarke-Harris, Frankie Kent, Siriki Dembele and Ethan Hamilton.

Pompey, the 2019 winners who have yet to play the 2020 final, replied with with a superb strike from Ellis Harrison deep into added time at the end of the game.

Posh named an 11 they’d trust in the biggest League One match as they sought rhythm and match fitness for their first-team regulars.

Eight of the side that started Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Lincoln City were selected again tonight. The return from injury of Joe Ward and Dan Butler hardly weakened the side.

Pompey in contrast made 10 changes to their weekend FA Cup side. Only centre-back Rasmus Nicholaisen remained.

But the visitors started brightest with Harrison somehow failing to convert an early free kick at the far post after Posh ‘keeper Christy Pym had misjudged the cross. Hamilton supplied the block without appearing to know too much about it.

Harrison then flicked wide from a corner before Posh settled down to play on another difficult surface.

They hit the front in the 16th minute after a fine interchange between Ward and Dembele. Ward’s cross was weak and intercepted, but Taylor robbed a dithering defender before supplying a fine finish.

Pym was soon tipping a close range Harrison overhead kick following a corner, but Posh started to look sharp in possession and made it 2-0 courtesy of a superb 25-yard free kick strike from Clarke-Harris just before the half hour mark.

Dembele, who played with plenty of energy and commitment, should have scored after robbing Paul Downing in the Pompey area, but debutant goalkeeper Duncan Turnbull made an excellent save.

Hamilton came close to grabbing his first Posh goal with a 25 yard smack that grazed the crossbar.

Pompey were still putting together some decent attacking moves, but couldn’t breach a back three which was well marshalled by Nathan Thompson.

And Posh took a firm grip on the game on the stroke of half-time when Kent bundled home Ward’s precise free kick.

Ward went off at the break, but there was no respite for the weakened Pompey side as a sliderule Sammie Szmodics pass sent Butler scurrying clear down the left and his precise cross was tapped home by Dembele.

That was Dembele’s last act as he was replaced, alongside Clarke-Harris, by Mo Eisa and Ricky-Jade Jones.

But the Pompey punishment wasn’t over. Posh defended comfortably and threatened whenever they went forward.

It took another set-piece for Posh to make it 5-0 though as Hamilton claimed his first goal for the club with a free-kick strike sent under a jumping wall three minutes from time.

Pompey found a spectacular consolation in added time when Ellis Harrison let fly and found the roof of the net from 22 yards.

Posh: Christy Pym, Dan Butler (sub Harrison Burrows, 63 mins), Nathan Thompson, Mark Beevers (sub Niall Mason, 69 mins), Frankie Kent, Joe Ward (sub Idris Kanu, 46 mins), Ethan Hamilton, Jack Taylor, Samme Szmodics, Siriki Dembele (sub Ricky-Jade Jones, 59 mins), Jonson Clarke-Harris (sub Mo Eisa, 59 mins).

Unused subs: Dan Gyollai, Reece Brown.

Portsmouth: Duncan Turnbull (sub Taylor Samuel, 61 mins), James Bolton, Paul Downing (sub Callum Johnson, 72 mins), Rasmus Nicolaisen, Harry Kavanagh, Ben Close, Bryn Morris, Harry Jewitt-White (sub Charlie Bell, 62 mins), Harvey Rew (sub Alfie Bridgeman, 81 mins), Ellis Harrison, Jordy Hiwula.

Unused subs: Harrison Brook, John Marquis, Alfie Stanley.

Goals:

Posh - Taylor (16 mins), Clarke-Harris (29 mins), Kent (45 + 1 min), Dembele (54 mins), Hamilton (87 mins).

Pompey - Harrison (90 mins + 3).

Cautions:

Posh - Beevers (foul)

Pompey -

Referee: Rob Lewis