Peterborough United defeat St Neots Town 7-3 in pre-season thriller

St Neots Town 3-7 Peterborough United

ALTHOUGH they conceded seven, Saints were magnificent in their thrilling home friendly against Posh on Saturday.

New centre-half Chris Hope, Junior Konadu and Lewis Hilliard found the net for St Neots who, at one stage in the first half, had came from behind to lead 2-1.

But braces from George Boyd and Lee Frecklington, alongside goals from Paul Taylor, Lee Tomlin and Nicky Ajose ultimately won the day for Posh, in front of 1,100 at The Hunts Post Community Stadium.

Championship club Peterborough, who are now six levels above Saints in the pyramid, showed their class during the opening exchanges and were unlucky not to break the deadlock on 12 minutes, when David Ball’s shot rebounded back off the post.

But the visitors didn’t have to wait long for their opener - which arrived two minutes later - with Taylor rifling a low shot beyond keeper Michael Duggan.

Tommy Rowe struck the woodwork again for Posh shortly afterwards, before defender Jordan Gent wasted a glorious chance to level for St Neots.

But two home goals within the space of five minutes then stunned Posh.

On the half-hour mark Hope, who agreed to sign for Saints after the match, levelled proceedings when he received the ball on the left-hand edge of the area and curled it beyond goalkeeper Joe Day into the top right-hand corner of the net.

And, on 34 minutes, Konadu turned the game on its head when, after receiving the ball on the edge of the box, he cut inside and slammed an unstoppable left-footed shot beyond Day.

That lead didn’t last long, though, as Posh went straight up the other end and levelled through Boyd - and the same player then made it 3-2 on 37 minutes after being set up by Ball.

A raft of substitutions at the interval didn’t hinder the flow of what was an action-packed affair.

Boyd’s teasing cross from the left was headed home by Posh sub Tomlin to make it 4-2 on 48 minutes but, seven minutes later, Saints were back in it when they netted goal number three.

It was scored by Hilliard, who was also introduced at the break, as he shrugged off the attentions of Grant Basey before rounding Day and sliding the ball into an unguarded net.

On 64 minutes, Duggan produced a flying fingertip save to deny Boyd his hat-trick, although Frecklington scored the fifth from the resultant corner and then grabbed another a minute later.

Konadu almost scored the goal of the day on 74 minutes, but his stunning left-footed attempt from 30 yards hit the underside of the crossbar with the keeper beaten.

Ex-Manchester United youngster Ajose rounded off the scoring with Posh’s seventh two minutes from time.

Saints: Duggan, Harradine (Grieve 28), Grant (Hilliard 46), Webb (C), Gent (Fordham 46), Hope, MacKenzie (Davies 60), Konadu, Moore, Tolley, Jacob.