Fleetwood Town’s Under-18s suffered a defeat on the road in their latest Professional Development League fixture against Peterborough United at the Mick George Training Academy.
Mark Yeates’ Young Cods had the better start of the two sides on Tuesday afternoon but were unable to capitalise on their early chances as Jack Doherty fed in Liam Roberts on the left early on, only for the goalkeeper to make his first save of many throughout the game.
Not long after this, full-back Raff Cirino managed to break up a Peterborough attack around the halfway line and started a counter of his own as he drove forwards before picking out Mikey Lane on the edge of the area, who decided to try his luck, but the Posh captain made another brilliant save.
The game turned on its head at this point, with the hosts showing their clinical nature in front of goal, as they went into the break three goals to the good before adding a fourth in the second half. This didn’t deter Town, however, as Doherty and Roberts both linked up once again, but the latter’s effort was saved.
A lifeline was then thrown to Fleetwood as Roberts managed to pounce on a poor pass between their right-back and centre-half, meaning he was clean through on goal and, even though the goalkeeper stopped the initial effort, he was able to follow it in with a header from close range.
Coach Yeates would have been proud that they worked until the end, forging another chance not long before the final whistle through midfielder Bosembo Namputu, who saw the same outcome as most throughout the game, as his effort was saved by the goalkeeper.
All eyes will now be on our Under-18s’ next league fixture against Crewe Alexandra at Poolfoot Farm, which is set to take place on Saturday 27 January (11am kick-off).
Town XI: Woodward (GK), Cirino, Thompson (Jake Doherty 78’), Smith, Slater, Butterworth (C), Richmond (Eccles 71’), Namputu, Lane (Daha 46’), Jack Doherty (Fletcher 60’), Roberts.