Posh under 18s achieve back to back home wins in the Professional Development League after their resilient performance against Wigan saw them come from 2-0 down to win the game 4-2.
The Peterborough United U18s secured a thoroughly deserved three points after beating Wigan 4-2, home at the Idverde Training Ground.
With a relatively quiet opening 15 minutes, Wigan were the first to put their name on the scoresheet in the 17th minute, after their winger drove all the way down the pitch before passing the ball across the face of the goal and into a dangerous area for one of their players to eventually head over the line.
Posh got their chance to equalise in the 32nd minute in the form of a free kick taken right on the edge of the 18 yard box by Winters, but unfortunately his attempt was hit just wide of the far post.
Just before the first half came to an end, Posh had an almost identical free kick chance to go level, but Winters was yet again denied the goal as the ball was put over the crossbar.
A minute after the game restarted for the second half, Posh were straight on the front foot and Winters went through one on one with the Wigan goalkeeper who was forced into an excellent stop, pushing the ball just wide of the far post.
However a couple minutes later, in the 49th minute, Posh were rewarded for their dominance and WINTERS finally got his goal, after Max Beech's free kick was deflected off of the wall but collected by Posh in and around the six yard box and buried into the bottom corner.
Less than ten minutes later, Posh took the lead as George Holley’s corner ball was whipped into the back post for WINTERS, who was gifted a free header, to put Posh 2-1 up.
In the 63rd minute, a lapse of concentration from the Posh defence allowed Wigan back level as their number 11 dribbled his way past three Posh players in the box before putting the ball onto his left foot and curling the ball into the back of the net.
Despite this minor setback, Posh didn't allow it to affect them too long and got back in front through a peach of a free-kick from BEECH as his set-piece was judged to perfection, curling over the wall and into the corner.
To further extend their lead and put the game to bed, WINTERS got his hat trick after his penalty was slotted into the bottom right corner to make it 4-2.
After the win we spoke to the U18 Lead Coach Jimmy Unwin, asking him what he said to his players at half time in order for Posh to regain the lead, and to score two goals inside the first ten minutes of the restart, he said: “It was just around the same messages of being a bit more positive in how we pass the ball to each other and making sure it got out to the wingers. And then getting more numbers in the box, and you’ll see we got goals from crosses, we got goals from set pieces. It was a real varied performance today which makes it hard to read how we’re going to play.
Posh’s number nine and hat trick scorer, Winters, also spoke after the game on how the team managed to re-group and turn the game around in the second half. “I think it was very good from the boys today. Obviously, being 1-0 down at half time, we had a lot to do. Maybe we wasn’t playing the way we should have been, there was things to improve, but we came out second half, really put the pressure on them. Myself, scoring a hat trick is always nice so that’s a good positive for me personally, but more importantly the three points for the team."
Posh: Trialist A, Trialist B, Trialist C, Holley (sub Unwin 67 min), Gilbert, Toynton, Kelmendi (sub McWilliams-Marcano 67 min), Marcon, Winters, Beech (sub Davies 88 min), Odei-Larbi (sub Changunda 82 min).
By Ella Smetana