The Posh under 18s came from behind to secure the points they needed to lift the Youth Alliance League title with victory against Southend.
The Peterborough United under 18s made it back-to-back league titles after two goals in the last 10 minutes secured a 2-1 victory over Southend United at the idverde Training Ground with goals from Charlie O’Connell and substitute Adler Nascimento doing the damage.
It is an incredible achievement for boss Matthew Etherington and his assistant Simon Davies to win the league two years in a row, it is certainly the first time that has happened at the club in the modern era and club officials were struggling to recollect a time when it has occurred in the last 35 years.
The Shrimpers, who went into the game knowing a victory would keep the title race alive as they had games in hand with Posh concluding their campaign with this fixture, opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time with a close-range finish following a free-kick, but Posh felt hard done by that they had been awarded at least two penalties for challenges on Hameed Ishola.
Ricky-Jade Jones saw an effort go wide and was denied superbly by the Shrimpers keeper while Connor Peters and Charlie O’Connell both went close from corner kicks. In the second half, Posh continued to press with Jones denied again by the keeper and Peters seeing a header pushed around the post.
At the other end, Peters was well placed to clear from his own goal-line in a rare Southend foray forward before Etherington made changes with Nicky Gyimah and Nasicmento introduced. Posh eventually levelled as O’CONNELL tapped home from close-range after McGlinchey had seen his effort repelled by the feet of the keeper.
Gyimah should have put Posh in front but blazed over after good work from Nascimento as the clock ticked towards the final few minutes. Posh found the winner in style, NASCIMENTO racing onto a through ball and superbly lifting the ball over the keeper and into the back of the net to spark wild scenes of celebration.
Posh: Blackmore, Peters, Powell, Bodie, Keane (sub Harris 46min), McGlinchey (sub Tongue 90min), Chiha, O’Connell, Clarke, Jones (sub Nascimento 75min), Ishola (sub Gyimah 62min). Unused sub: Hickinson.