Kabongo Tshimanga bagged a hat-trick as Posh recorded a 7-1 victory over Stamford in the first pre-season friendly of the campaign.
Peterborough United opened their pre-season friendly account with a comfortable 7-1 victory over non-league Stamford in front of just over 1,200 supporters as Kabongo Tshimanga netted a hat-trick inside 20 minutes during the second half.
Darren Ferguson’s men controlled the opening exchanges and created a number of half-chances with Jonson Clarke-Harris glancing a header wide of the target from a Charlie O’Connell centre and David Ajiboye seeing an effort blocked after a forceful run into the box.
The deadlock was broken from the spot on 23 minutes as CLARKE-HARRIS won and then converted from 12-yards. The lead didn’t last too long though as the Daniels were back on level terms three minutes later as Jack Duffy found the back of the net with a finish from inside the box.
On 39 minutes, Posh got themselves back in front as Ricky-Jade JONES raced onto a through ball and coolly slotted the ball past Wallis. A minute before the break, Posh extended their advantage as David AJIBOYE rifled a shot past the keeper and into the top corner at the near post.
Ferguson deployed a different XI for the second half and it didn’t take long for TSHIMANGA to make an impact, turning sharply inside the area before firing low into the bottom corner. On the hour mark, TSHIMANGA made it 5-1 from the spot after Kwame Poku was upended in the area.
Ryan De Havilland fired over from 25-yards before TSHIMANGA converted from close-range from a Josh Knight centre to complete his hat-trick. POKU added a seventh goal as Posh threatened to reach double figures, but the only other opportunity they carved out was another penalty kick after Ephron Mason-Clark was felled, but Tshimanga saw his penalty saved.
Posh 1st half: Blackmore, Fernandez, Kent, O’Connell, Burrows, Ajiboye, Kyprianou, Collins, Jones, Randall, Clarke-Harris.
Posh 2nd half: Trialist, Arthur, Crichlow, Tomlinson, Knight, De Havilland, Fuchs, Poku, Mason-Clark, Corbett, Tshimanga. Subs: Dornelly, Kawa
Stamford: Wallis, Burgess, Bartle, Vince, Blunden, Charles, Morgan, Duffy, Shaw, Brown-Hill. Subs: Currie, Whiting, Freeman, Armstrong, Bennett, Munns, Cooper, Challinor.
Attendance: 1,215