Two-goal Peterborough United star Cian Hayes insists he felt no pressure when stepping up to replace star man and top scorer Kwame Poku.

Poku’s untimely hamstring injury – after 10 League One goals and five assists – has given Hayes his chance to shine and he’s taken it in style. He was Posh man-of-the-match in defeat at Northampton Town last Monday and followed that with his first Football League goals for his club.

Hayes scored in each half of a thrilling 4-3 success over Crawley Town at the Weston Homes Stadium. Ricky-Jade Jones and Hector Kyprianou also netted. He’d described Kwame a ‘great player and someone I can learn from’ while he was waiting patiently for a first-team chance following his summer move from Fleetwood.

"I don’t feel there was pressure in replacing Kwame,” Hayes insisted. “It was just a chance for me to play and to play well enough to make sure I stay in the team. The game wasn’t great for my heart, but it was great to score my first Football League goal for the club and to add a second one made it even better. It’s a shame I didn’t get the hat-trick when I had the chance late on, but you can’t have everything.

Cian Hayes scores the match winning goal for Posh against Crawley. Photo David Lowndes.

placeholder image — Cian Hayes scores the match winning goal for Posh against Crawley. Photo David Lowndes.

"For the first goal there was never any doubt in my mind what I was going to do. I was always planning to take it inside, fake a shot and then roll it into the corner. I just made sure I didn’t miss like I had at Northampton. For the second one I was just praying Malik Mothersille played me in and to be fair he delivered the perfect pass. I never think too much about the finish. I just hit the shot and if it comes off it comes off.

"I was tired when the last chance came along, but the more minutes I play the fitter I will get. I’ll always work as hard as I can for 90 minutes. There is no point in leaving anything out there. If you get too tired you get substituted. It was a good day, but now it’s time to concentrate on the next game.”

Hayes last scored an EFL goal in December 2022 when he claimed a 90th minute equaliser for Fleetwood at Ipswich Town in front of almost 23,000 at Portman Road. The 21 year-old had scored two EFL goals before his double yesterday.