The Posh under 18s are through to the second round of the FA Youth Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Dereham Town.
The Peterborough United under 18s progressed into the second round of the FA Youth Cup after a Bobby Copping goal in extra time secured a 1-0 victory over Dereham Town on a bitterly cold Thursday evening in Norfolk.
Copping, who was born in the town and had plenty of family members watching on from the sidelines, fired home an excellent volley after the hosts had struggled to clear a set-piece on a night where the home side posed one or two problems on the night of Halloween.
However, there was no horror stories for Posh five years on from a defeat at the same venue in the same competition as Copping took the plaudits in an assured display in and out of possession. Goalkeeper Josh Allen was another hero on the night, he made two excellent stops and produced a fine save to deny Tom Baird from the penalty spot after the same Dereham player had tricked his way into the penalty area.
Posh had their own opportunity from the spot when Brad Rolt was felled in the box, but Harrison Burrows saw his penalty saved by Adam Holbrook. The Dereham goalkeeper had probably the night of his life with a string of excellent saves, mainly keeping out Ricky-Jade Jones but also thwarting Archie Jones and Burrows.
Matthew Etherington’s men also saw efforts cleared off the line with skipper Jones one of those denied by last-ditch defending. Roudette-Gregory saw two headers go over the bar while Taylor Horne also went close. Dereham were reduced to 10-men in the final moments of extra-time with Charlie Dickerson dismissed for dissent.
Etherington admitted afterwards that the performance wasn’t the best, but in cup-ties it is about the result. “I am not going to be dishonest, our performance wasn’t very good at all, but we battled and got the job done. Josh Allen and Bobby Copping were excellent but the lads know in that dressing room that some of them were below their standards. We have plenty to work on but we are into the next round of the competition and that is the main thing.”
Dereham: Holbrook, Kiza, Dickerson, Warne, Rich, Grand, Bassham, Quantrell, Sivaumar, Baird, Hodges. Subs: Bounden, Akpan, Cawcutt, Bonner, Vasileiou, Rickwood, Gianey.
Posh: Allen, Keane (sub Horne), Mensah, O’Connell, Roudette-Gregory, Copping, Harris (sub Ruzvidzo), A. Jones (sub Peters), Rolt, Burrows, R. Jones (sub Gyimah). Unused subs: Rudman, Salmon, Lakin.