Peterborough United Under 18s shared the spoils with Charlton Athletic in a 2-2 draw on Tuesday afternoon.
Making the trip to the capital, our youngsters were looking to put on a show in their final away outing in the Professional Development League, and that they did, rallying back from a two-goal deficit, owing to individual strikes from Andre Changunda and Rylie Fitzpatrick.
Jimmy Unwin reinstated to a more experienced side this time around, as Changunda, Joe Davies, Lucca Mendonca, Eddie Fox all returned to the fold, while Fabian Claxton and Luke Gilbert were favoured in the heart of defence.
Charlton started brightly, finding the net twice within the opening 17 minutes. The Addicks’ goals weren’t unanswered for long, though, as a wave of pressure was rewarded in the 32nd minute. A ball in from the touchline escaped the defence, and CHANGUNDA arrived unmarked in the penalty area to pull one back.
Unwin’s side continued to up the ante, camping inside the hosts’ danger area. This time, Fox was afforded an extra yard to push forward, finding Patryk Sykut in space who tested the Charlton ‘keeper, with the rebound falling to Changunda who lacked the necessary purchase to fire home the leveller.
Blue shirts appealed in unison for a penalty moments before the half time whistle, as Mendonca reacted quickest to a loose ball inside the area, hitting the deck after contact, but the referee was unmoved.
Our youngsters took confidence from the host of opportunities, coming out from the break pressing for a second. That said, they didn’t have long to wait as an in-swinging delivery from FITZPATRICK flew all the way in, looping over the Addicks’ gloveman.
The home side came under siege once more, this time on the hour mark, as Max Beech won his side possession, advancing through the midfield line before slipping in McWilliams-Marcano, who bore down on goal – only to be denied by the Addicks’ number one.
Charlton searched for a route back into the game but, lacking creativity in the final third, Beech attacked down the other end, seeing an effort tipped onto the frame of the woodwork.
Fox then came closest in the closing moments, taking aim from distance, but the midfielder’s effort was clawed away from the top corner.
Posh: Westcott, Mendonca, Fitzpatrick, Holley, Claxton, Gilbert (sub Mlityalwa 46min), Davies (sub Joseph 46min), Fox, McWilliams-Marcano, Sykut, Changunda (sub Beech 46min). Unused subs: Crozier, Dagne.