Simmons hits a hat-trick as Peterborough United Under 21s fight back to claim a decent draw
A hat-trick from Kurtis Simmons earned Peterborough United a tremendous point from a Professional Development Under 21 League clash with Bristol City on Tuesday.
A first team Carabao Cup tie this evening forced Posh to field a very young side that was skippered by Pat Sykut who failed to break into a senior matchday squad that included nine substitutes.
Posh Under 21s picked two 16 year-olds and three 17 year-olds in their matchday squad. Transfer-listed midfielder Donay O’Brien-Brady was the oldest Posh player at 22.
Posh had won their first three competitive fixtures, but it always going to be a tough record to maintain against a City side who were also unbeaten going into the game.
But Posh fought back from 2-0 down and 3-1 down to draw 3-3 with Benji McWilliams-Marcano assisting on all three Simmons’ goals.
City made most of the first-half running, but it took them until the 40th minute to hit the front through Ephraim Yeboah. The visitors immediately made it 2-0 through Rhys Knight, but in first-half added time Simmons pulled a goal back by heading home McWilliams-Marcano’s excellent cross.
City came out firing after the break and Posh ‘keeper Bastien Smith made a couple of decent stops before Billy O’Neill pounced on a defensive mishap to make it 3-1.
City then missed a sitter and it proved a costly error as Simmons steered home another McWilliams-Marcano cross on 69 minutes and completed his hat-trick on 77 minutes after more good work from the game’s assist king.
City piled on the pressure in the final stages, but Smith stood tall and Aaron Sudakaran made one tremendous defensive block.
Posh: Smith, Bushell, Ismail, Andrews, Sudakaran, Christoudias, Mlityalwa, O’Brien-Brady, Simmons, Sykut, McWilliams-Marcano. Subs: Fraser, Bucknor, Crozier, Joseph, Jones, Dagne, Ndonjano.