03/05/2025
03/05/2025
Peterborough United Under 18
10:45
0
-
2
Watford FC Under 18 Academy

18s

Peterborough United Under 18s return to league action on Saturday (10.45am) with Watford up next to complete this season’s games programme.

Our young boys in blue will hope to end the season on a high note when they face the Hornets, looking to round up a year which has seen Jimmy Unwin’s side lift the Professional Development League Cup and several young talents step up into the Under 18s environment.

Joe Davies’ effort - turned in by the Blades defender - was the match winner at the LNER Community Stadium, as our Under 18s ran out 1-0 winners over Sheffield United.

The Hornets will look to harness their recent form, making the trip to the Weston Homes Stadium with one loss in five - with one eye remaining on Friday’s semi-final bout with Burnley.

TEAM NEWS

It is expected to be a very young side on display with a number of under 15s and 16s in the squad with Nathaniel Joseph, Junior Crozier and Luca Christoudias set to be involved in the squad. 

THE OPPOSITION    

Watford shadow Bristol City at the top of the northern table, having picked up 57 points from 30 league showings. Matt Bevans’ young Hornets have seen 18 victories, three draws, and nine defeats over the course of the term, while recently falling short to Manchester City in the FA Youth Cup semi-finals.

FROM THE MANAGER    

Professional Development Phase (Under 18s) Lead Coach Jimmy Unwin said ahead of the game: “We are looking forward to the game, the last one of the Under 18s format. It will be a young group again to protect the bodies that have played a lot of minutes this season, but it is a good opportunity to impress and at the stadium as well, which will be a good way to end the season and fingers crossed the boys can put a good performance in."

UPDATES   

Updates of the game will be available on The Posh Academy X account.    

VENUE    

The fixture will take place at the Weston Homes Stadium.

 

 

Max Beech

Marat Galajevs scored a brace as Watford defeated an extremely youthful Posh Under 18 side on the final day of the season.

Marat Galajevs notched two late goals as the Hornets ran out 2-0 winners at the Weston Homes Stadium, putting an end to the regular Professional Development League season. 

Luke Gilbert led his side out, taking the captaincy from Andre Changunda – who was on duty for the first team at Rotherham United - following on from midweek’s cup victory over Sheffield United. Max Beech returned to the XI, in tandem with Luca Christoudias, Junior Crozier, Nathaniel Joseph and Olly Arber who were all rewarded with minutes from the outset.  

The away side created the first opportunity in the 16th minute as the Hornets’ full-back skied over on the stretch, before pouring bodies forward again minutes later, this time Ben Westcott was equal to a drive from 20-yards. 

Watford – who had locked in a second-place finish before yesterday’s game – launched another attack, working the ball to their wide man who looked to hook an effort past Westcott, missing the far corner in the process.  

Our visitors saw an effort whistle wide minutes before the break, before Westcott was called into action low down to his right as time ticked down. 

Eddie Fox picked out the path of our Trialist following the restart, who bore down on goal with substitute Kurtis Simmons in support out wide, but he opted to go alone – only to see his strike well blocked. 

It was a similar tale at the other end for the Hornets’ front man, who, after a lull in chances, looked to round Westcott – nicking the ball from his path. But with the ball eventually knocked free, Luke Gilbert recovered on the goal-line to foil the away side’s attempt to take the lead. 

Westcott warmed his gloves once more on 65 minutes, meeting an effort from range before GALAJEVS opened the scoring, guiding the ball into the bottom corner.  

From then on, the away side had their tails up and GALAJEVS put the result beyond down in stoppage time, picking out the far corner with venom. 

Posh: Westcott, Crozier, Joseph (sub Simmons 46min), Christoudias, Arber, Gilbert, Davies (sub Sango 72min), Fox (sub Norville 61min), Trialist, Beech (sub Sykut 46min), Fitzpatrick (sub Fitzpatrick 72min).

Half-time: Posh Under 18s 0-0 Watford Under 18s 
Full-time: Posh Under 18s 0-2 Watford Under 18s 

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