All three scholarship teams were in action this week. Posh A took on JMA Reading in the cup, whilst Posh B and the Girls Scholarship Team took on Ipswich Town and Enfield Town in league action.
POSH A
Posh A took on JMA Reading at the idverde Training Ground for the second time this season, having beaten them 4-2 in the league earlier in the campaign.
It was set to be a tall order for Posh A who were without a number of their regular fixtures due to injury and illness, whilst Reading travelled in good form, sitting top of the NFYL South Premier Division.
Both sides started well but it was JMA Reading who had the game’s first good chance, as they struck the underside of the bar with a strong effort from the edge of the box.
Posh A then went close though, as Enzo Coccitti saw an effort go just wide after a good ball through by Ben Greenacre. Byron Adiado had a goal disallowed for offside shortly after.
But Posh A did eventually take the lead when a good ball forward by Cody Gautry broke for Adiado and he slid Robert CRISTICA through for a strike into the far bottom corner.
Their lead didn’t last long, however, as JMA Reading hit back with a back post header from a wide free kick.
Posh A took the lead into half time though as more good work from Gautry, this time down the right wing, saw him centre the ball for COCCITTI to bundle home.
JMA Reading piled on the pressure for much of the second half and began to have sustained periods of play in their attacking third.
The leveller came from the penalty spot, a calm roll down the middle from the Reading forward.
The game was all set to head into extra time but unfortunately for Posh A, it didn’t reach that stage. They were undone in the dying moments with another back post header to bring their NFYL Cup campaign to an end.
FINAL SCORE: Posh A 2-3 JMA Reading
Posh A XI: Jacobs (GK), Robalo, Topping, Gautry, Bassendine-Matthews, Zeneli (C), Dexter, Greenacre, Cristica, Adiado, Coccitti
Subs: Baker, Bennett, Simmons, Manu, Manser
POSH B
Posh B travelled to Ipswich Town as they continued their CEFA South East 3 title challenge. The Tractor Boys went into the game in mid-table, having won four of their opening nine league games.
Brad Rayner’s Posh B were looking to bounce back from their CEFA Cup exit the previous week, whilst continuing their title challenge alongside Watford and Portsmouth.
Posh B hit the front when Max Olbromski got in down the right wing and stood up a cross for George CARDER, who met the ball and flicked it past the keeper, into the far corner.
But the hosts drew level before the interval when a long throw into the box wasn’t quite claimed by Posh B goalkeeper, Louis Rogers, and the Ipswich forward reacted quickest to tap home from close range.
And despite enjoying the better of the game, Posh B found themselves behind when a cross from the right was met by the winger at the back post and he squeezed his well struck effort into the net despite a good attempted by Rogers at keeping it out.
Posh B didn’t let that get them down though and they eventually drew level when Oskar Gadzia’s header was clawed away but only as far as CARDER, who found the net after a goalmouth scramble.
And Posh B’s winner was the best of the game as the ball found CARDER on the left and he drove at the heart of the Ipswich back line, twisting left and right to work half a yard to roll the ball in for his hat-trick.
Posh B XI: Rogers (GK), Sabharwal, Marshall, Williams, Barnes, Robinson (C), Gadzia, McAlindon, Afriyie, Carder, Olbromski
Subs: Kazombiaze, Martin
GIRLS SCHOLARSHIP
The Posh Girls Scholarship were looking to return to winning ways after last weeks’ defeat at Charlton Athletic. It was their first league defeat of the season, but they wanted to keep their title challenge on track as they welcomed Enfield Town to the idverde Training Ground.
They got themselves straight onto the front foot and won a free kick in a dangerous area in the opening seconds, where Alicia Podd saw her effort fly just over the bar.
But it didn’t take long for the opener to come as Ella BALE nodded the ball around the defender and found the far bottom corner with the outside of her right foot.
It was almost two just moments later as a ball in by Alice Akinyemi was met by a touch by Keira Swanson to Amber Smith, but her shot went just wide.
SWANSON notched Posh’s second goal of the afternoon, striking home a low effort from the edge of the box. The goalkeeper got a toe to it, but it wasn’t enough to keep it out of the net.
And Posh quickly found themselves 3-0 ahead as a great ball by A. Smith was bundled in by BALE.
It was a first half Posh needed after a difficult few weeks, which resulted in two defeats in their last three. But the opening 45 against Enfield saw a visible return to confidence and they had total control of proceedings as they headed in for the half time break.
The second half was much less eventful in terms of chances, but there was time for BALE to complete her hat-trick with the goal of the game. When A. Smith dug out a pinpoint cross from the right wing into the six-yard box, the Posh striker was there to nod home her third of the game and put the game beyond any reasonable doubt.
With another three points on the board, Posh now turn their attentions to their next game – away at Ipswich Town next week.
FINAL SCORE: Posh 4-0 Enfield Town
Posh XI: Halstead (GK), Turvey, Evans, Osker, Abrantes, Podd, Curson, A. Smith (C), Swanson, Akinyemi, Bale
Subs: Owen, Wilson, Gee, T. Smith, Leat
