Former Saint nets twice in 4-1 win

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St Albans City 1 Peterborough United 4

A FAMILIAR face returned to steal the show at Clarence Park on Tuesday evening as a young Peterborough United XI recorded a 4-1 victory over the Saints.

Winger Joe Newell, who spent time on work experience with the Saints last season, playing in both matches against Boreham Wood, was one of a number of Peterborough’s youngsters looking to impress Posh’s director of football, Barry Fry, who was watching from the stands and he did his cause no harm with two second half goals.

Alongside Peterborough’s young players were a number of first team squad members, including ex-England C goalkeeper Joe Day, left-back Scott Griffiths, Kelvin Langmead, Australian midfielder James Wesolowski and big Exodus Geohaghon.

That solid spine gave Posh a platform on which to build but despite the npower Championship side’s neat passing it was an opening 45 minutes that failed to excite.

It took 30 minutes for either side to muster a sight of goal and when it came Posh midfielder Aaron Wickham blazed wide of Nick Jupp’s goal.

Wickham made amends for his miss just two minutes later though opening the scoring after full-back Nathan Ralph had burst into the box, rounded Jupp and squared the ball for his team-mate to knock it into the unguarded net.

City’s only chance of the first half came in the dying embers when substitute Reece Yorke flighted a long diagonal ball in behind the Posh defence for Rob Haworth but despite a good first touch from the striker his effort was easy to deal with for ‘keeper Day.

City goalkeeper Jupp, who signed for the club before the match, showed again why he will be a key figure for the club this season with an excellent double save to deny Posh extending their lead. The Saints’ defence failed to clear their lines from a corner and when the ball was pumped back in Carl Piergianni forced a good save from Jupp who then dropped down low to deny Matt Breeze from close range.

City introduced James Bent at the interval, the Cornish born striker having joined Jupp in signing for the club, and the muscular target man had a big impact on City’s play.

The former Harrow Borough forward gave the Saints’ attack a focal point and his clever link up play helped City gain a foothold in proceedings.

By this time however the Saints were two goals behind. Breeze looked to have squandered possession on the edge of the City box but the Peterborough midfielder won it back and picked out Newell, 18 yards from goal and in a central position. The midfielder shifted the ball onto his favoured left foot before placing his shot low and hard past Jupp.

Posh’s two goal cushion lasted all of three minutes though as City delivered an immediate response. The visitors conceded a corner, and despite Dave Robertson, Posh’s manager on the night, bellowing at his defenders not to concede they failed to heed his advice. Sean Shields’ corner found Matt Cutchey lurking at the far post and the former Heybridge skipper was able to take the ball down and pick out Bent who finished from close range.

That was to be City’s only goal of the evening however, as Newell and striker Dan Evans finished the job off for the visitors.

First Evans got his name on the scoresheet latching onto Geohaghon’s pass into the right hand channel and producing an excellent finish to beat Jupp high at the goalkeeper’s near post.

Newell could have grabbed his second when he cut inside his man and let fly from 20 yards but the one-time Saint placed his effort the wrong side of the post.

The 18-year-old’s chance to net his second eventually came from the penalty spot after the tricky winger had been fouled by Adam Fry, son of Peterborough director of football, Barry. Saints’ replacement ‘keeper, Phil Carpenter, did his best to keep out Newell’s effort tipping the ball onto the post but while the ‘keeper was still on the floor Newell was quickly on the scene to prod the ball over the line.

It made the scoreline harsh on City whose second half performance will have pleased assistant manager Ken Charlery, who took the side in the absence of David Howell who was in New York attending a wedding.

Referee Jake Hillier’s full-time whistle bought to an end this summer’s pre-season friendlies at Clarence Park and when the fans next click through the turnstiles a week on Saturday it’ll be in the hope of seeing their side collect the first three points of the season. Howell and Charlery now have three matches left to make sure their side are in the best possible shape to make that happen.

City: Jupp (Carpenter 66); Pooley, Moran, Cutchey, Barnard (Yorke 41); Walker (Ehui 66), Sol Shields (Alebiosu 20), Ijaha � (Fry 66), Sean Shields (Davis 71); Haworth (Haule 63), Bakare (Bent 46).

Posh: Day; Ralph, Langmead, Piergianni, Griffiths; Geohaghon, Wesolowski (Lawlor (51), Newell; Breeze, Evans (Gordon-Hutton 74), Wickham.

Subs: Grant, Richens, Richardson, Wood.

Referee: Jake Hillier