Posh bounced back from 2-0 down to earn a share of the spoils in the pre-season friendly against Barnet at the Hive.
With temperatures soaring, it was always going to be a challenging 120 minutes for both sets of teams at the Hive, but despite the conditions, there were still plenty of endeavor on show as Peterborough United bounced back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Vanarama National League side Barnet in a pre-season friendly.
With a number of players not risked due to knocks and illness in the camp, Grant McCann utilised a number of youngsters in his line-up, particularly in the second XI and it was the team that played the final hour that found two goals to earn a share of the spoils for Posh.
Frankie Kent had an opportunity inside the opening minute at the Hive but he couldn’t quite direct his header on target following an excellent delivery from Joe Ward. At the other end, goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom was well placed to keep out a volley from Pritchard.
Jack Taylor, playing against his former club, saw a shot from the edge of the box saved by Walker after a quickly-taken free-kick caused the Bees a few problems. Jones saw an effort cleared off the line on the half hour mark after an excellent first time pass from Clarke-Harris.
Ajiboye saw a close-range volley expertly blocked by Moussa before Kent headed the resulting corner kick wide of the target. On 36 minutes, Clarke-Harris smacked the post with a curling effort as Posh came close to the breakthrough.
Barnet opened the scoring on 45 minutes as MASON-CLARK squeezed a first-time effort into the back of the net via the inside of the near post. The hosts doubled their lead on 46 minutes as DE HAVILLAND tapped home from close-range after the initial shot had struck the inside of the post.
Jack Taylor was denied by a fine sprawling stop from Walker as the first XI entered their final 10 minutes of the afternoon. Both sides made wholesale changes on the hour mark with only the Posh keeper Bergstrom retaining his position in the side.
Walsh toe-poked wide of the target three minutes after the re-start after a poor defensive pass as Barnet came close to a third. Posh reduced the arrears five minutes after the re-start as a corner from Tomlinson was met at the back post by Hector KYPRIANOU.
Bergstrom made a fine save to keep out Loza on 78 minutes after Barnet forced Posh into an error. Fox, a recent addition to the under 21 group, was a whisker away from reducing the arrears moments later after a fine Tomlinson free-kick.
The Trialist Bees shot-stopper made two good saves within a minute as first Corbett and then Kyprianou were denied, the latter after a mazy run. From the resulting corner kick, Kyprianou slammed a header against the crossbar after another expert set-piece delivery from Tomlinson.
Posh drew themselves level on 106 minutes and it was Joe TAYLOR who got his name on the score-sheet, sweeping home after good work from Oluwabori and Mensah down the Posh right.
Posh thought they should have been ahead with seven to play as Ben Thompson’s shot appeared to bounce close to the goal-line after excellent approach play from Taylor, but the Barnet keeper did just enough to keep it out.
As time ticked down, a Kai Corbett free-kick was tipped around the post by the keeper as Posh pushed for a winner.
Posh 1st Hour: Bergstrom, Ward, Burrows, Knight, Kent, Jack Taylor, Fuchs, Szmodics, Ajiboye, Jones, Clarke-Harris. Unused subs: Lakin, Lamb, Fox, McGlinchey.
Posh 2nd Hour: Bergstrom (sub Lakin 90min), O’Connell, Fox, Mensah, Tomlinson, Kyprianou, Broom (sub Oluwabori 90min), Joe Taylor, Kanu, Corbett, Ben Thompson.
Barnet First Hour: Walker, Trialist A, Wynter, Diarra, Beard, Gorman, Pritchard, De Havilland, Hall, Kabamba, Mason-Clark.
Barnet 2nd Hour: Trialist B, Okimo, Trialist C, Collinge, Thomas, Smith, Granvile, Vasilou, Walsh, Loza, Trialist D.
