Peterborough United bowed out of the FA Youth Cup in heartbreaking fashion

Posh went down 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the Mornflake Stadium on Gresty Road in a first round tie. Jimmy Unwin’s team had equalised in the 82nd minute courtesy of a screamer from 25 yards from left-back Harley Mills, and just five minutes after forward Tyler Winters had received his marching orders after picking up his second yellow card.

That left Posh almost 45 minutes to play a man down, but they survived extra time with the help of some doughty defending and fine goalkeeping from Jake West.

West had earlier saved a 74th minute Crewe penalty following a foul by Oliver Rose, but he was beaten in the shootout by five precise 12-yard strikes.

Rose, Mills, Max Beech and Torin Ntege also converted their Posh penalties, but last man up was Joseph Toynton and his spot-kick was saved to send the home side through.

On a wet night Crewe opened the scoring on 12 minutes through Callum Agius and West was forced into a fine save before Posh found some attacking form.

Luke Gilbert and Dennis Kelmendi did well to tee up Winters eight minutes before half-time, but his shot was well blocked by a defender.

Crewe’s Luca Moore hit the top of the crossbar early in the second-half, but chances were few and far between until Ntege just headed wide from a Mills Corner 20 minutes from time.

The game then livened up with a penalty save, a red card and an equaliser, but Posh rarely threatened again before the shootout.

Posh: West, Gilbert, Mills, Holley (sub Trialist 64 mins), Rose, Toynton Kelmendi (sub Odei-Larbi, 59 mins, sub Fox, 91 mins), Marcon (sub Beech, 76 mins), Winters, Ntege, Davies. Unused subs: Akins, McWilliams, Marcano.