11/04/2025
11/04/2025
13:00
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Vicarage Road

watford21s

Peterborough United Under 21s face a quick turnaround to Watford on Friday afternoon (1pm) with a trip to Vicarage Road next up.  

Fixtures are coming thick and fast for our Under 21s who move into the business end of the season, and with only two days’ rest, this is the case as Ryan Semple’s men make the trip to Vicarage Road on Friday afternoon.  

Our youngsters will look to quickly dust off Tuesday’s defeat to Ipswich Town, as Bradley Ihionvien and Chris Conn-Clarke reduced the arrears late on but were ultimately made to settle for defeat. 

Semple’s men lock horns with the Hornets, who are also in pursuit of a victory, having not won in nine matches. Last time out, Friday’s hosts shared the spoils with Barnsley after Tobi Adeyemo’s spot-kick was cancelled out in south Yorkshire.  

Watford hold the advantage in the head-to-head record, with two wins to our one, including the 4-3 victory over our Under 21s the last time the two sides met. 

TEAM NEWS   

A younger squad is expected to take to the field due to injury concerns, with only a handful of faces from the Under 21s likely to be in the mix.  

THE OPPOSITION   

Watford sit eight in the southern section, having picked up 31 points from 25 league matches. Charlie Daniels’ young Hornets have seen nine victories, four draws and 12 defeats over the course of the term, putting them in the lower reaches of the table.  

FROM THE MANAGEMENT

“It will be a good chance for some of the younger lads to play at Vicarage Road. Watford are always a strong, physical side so it will be a tough test, but one we’re really looking forward to, and hopefully we can go there and put on a performance." 

UPDATES  

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

VENUE AND TICKETING DETAILS 

The fixture will take place at Vicarage Road (1pm). Tickets are available over on the Watford website, priced at £5 for adults and £1 for 18s & under.  

 

Fabian Claxton

The Under 21s claimed an impressive 2-1 victory at Vicarage Road against Watford on Friday afternoon despite missing a host of regular starters due to injury and unavailability.

The Peterborough United Under 21s recorded a 2-1 victory against Watford at Vicarage Road in their latest Professional Development League fixture with two first half goals ultimately securing all three points.

It was a quick turnaround for the youngsters after a 3-2 home defeat to Ipswich Town on Tuesday, but the Posh side, which included 16-year-old Bolu Shofowoke, came away from the capital with maximum points.

It was the TRIALIST who opened the scoring for Posh in fine style and Fabian CLAXTON doubled the lead as he found of the net after a free-kick from Ma'Kel Campbell had caused initial problems for the hosts. 

Posh were excellent in transitions, particularly in the first half and in the second half had to dig deep as the hosts reduced the arrears just after the hour mark from GASPAR.

Posh goalkeeper Bastian Smith had already kept the advantage at two after saving a spot-kick from Keyes three minutes into the second half.

Smith continued to thwart the Hornets who had the majority of the possession in the second half, but the keeper made a string of fine save saves and also took the pressure off his back-line by collecting crosses.

Head of Recruitment, Analysis and PDP Coach Sam Gaughran said: "It was an excellent win because it was essentially it was an Under 18 side with just two regular Under 21s.

"Watford's Under 18s were in action last night so they had a full Under 21 side out and in the first half we were really good, we caused them problems in transitions and that is where both goals came from. 

"In the second half, the lads dug in, put their bodies on the line and defended well and when they did get through to Bastian, he made some really good saves and he also showed bravery in coming to collect crosses into the box."

Posh: Smith, Mendonca, Fitzpatrick, Fox, Claxton, Gilbert, Changunda, Campbell, Shofowoke, Sykut, Trialist. Subs: Beech, Westcott, Davies, Aikins, Holley.