Peterborough United's back-up boys failed to deliver to make claims of 'the strongest squad for 25 years' look rather silly, an impressive manager and a Posh old boy showing the value of patience and perseverance

On the evidence of 90 minutes in Stevenage on Tuesday night it’s a claim that looks rather silly.

Ok one game is flimsy evidence and many of the same players played impressively for 45 minutes in Plymouth in the first round of the EFL Cup earlier this month, but a second round tie at the Lamex Stadium was their chance to kick on and launch a challenge for regular League One football.

And they blew it. Not that things improved all that much on a dreadful first hour when the cavalry arrived in the form of Jonson Clarke-Harris, Jack Marriott, Ben Thompson and Joe Ward who were all on the pitch when Stevenage scored the only goal with virtually the last kick of the contest.

But they all have credit in the bank. Against a League Two side who also made multiple changes to a line-up that has enjoyed an unbeaten start to the season, those currently on the Posh first-team fringes were found wanting, badly in some cases.

It was a grim watch and not just for Posh boss Grant McCann who wasn’t slow to voice his displeasure after the game. He wanted the feelgood factor following a weekend Imps thumping to hang around longer than three days.

TALKING POINTS from Stevenage 1, Posh 0….

1) It’s so different actually starting a match than coming on as a second-half substitute against tiring opponents. The likes of Ricky-Jade Jones, Joe Taylor and David Ajiboye have looked good in short bursts off the bench this season, but they were suffocated by Stevenage aggression last night and failed to cope. Neither Jones or Taylor are hold-up strikers capable of getting the ball down and helping others into the game. They have pace to burn, but with the home side fielding three centre-backs there was no room to run into and attempts to play the ball to the their feet usually resulted in a loss of possession. The service to them wasn’t great, but, unless Posh can find better before the transfer window closes, Posh must pray Clarke-Harris and Marriott stay fit as the current alternatives are not ready for a League One promotion push. There should be sympathy for Ajiboye who, like first-team regular Harrison Burrows, is a forward rather than a wing-back and it showed last night.

2) So did anyone enhance their reputation last night? Goalkeeper Will Blackmore played well, but if he plays first-team football this term it will probably be as a loan player at a different club so his presence at Stevenage was irrelevant to this season’s bigger picture. Young defender Charlie O’Connell was solid defensively and his passing was accurate over short distances at least, but Joe Tomlinson probably won’t be threatening Burrows for his place any time soon. Kwame Poku was poor, but it was his first appearance of the season so he can be excused. The big winners last night were those who didn’t set foot on the pitch.

3) Just over a decade ago in the first round of the EFL Cup, Posh sent a virtual full-strength team including the likes of Gaby Zakuani, Ryan Bennett, George Boyd and Lee Tomlin to play a strong Stevenage side. Posh were just starting out on a Championship campaign, but ‘resting’ players wasn’t a priority back then. It’s quite sad to see so many clubs now treat the competition as a glorified trial. Club officials will always say the right things about wanting a cup run, but the teams they usually send out prove it’s only the league that really matters. Posh and Stevenage made 17 changes between them to their Saturday sides and, although McCann was frustrated enough with his back-up boys to start hauling them off, and then displayed anger at the defeat post-match, one suspects when the dust settles he will be pleased to have a free week to prepare for League One games rather than play a third round tie early next month. Before then Posh host Stevenage in the EFL Trophy on August 30, another competition which will be treated as a hindrance rather than a chance to win some silverware.

4) There will be many Posh fans irritated by the sight of the club’s former manager Steve Evans get one over his old club. It’s worth remembering Posh were sixth in League One when Evans was dismissed in January, 2019 and replaced by Darren Ferguson who steered the side to a seventh place finish.

His personal behaviour can wind people up, but he can manage a football team. He can get teams organised and fire them up. Stevenage barely lost a 50/50 challenge last night. They won most of the 40/60 ones. The local radio man at Stevenage pointed to Evans’ 65% win record at their club as proof of his outstanding work in his latest job. With more attacking quality Stevenage would have won by a three-goal margin last night and even the most obsessive anti-Evans fan would have found it hard to deny it would have been deserved.

5) Carl Piergianni, the son of local football goalscoring legend Franco, played three first-team minutes for Posh as a late substitute in a 2-1 Friday night win over Rochdale in the League One promotion season of 2010-11. Manager Gary Johnson sent him on as a substitute for George Boyd to help see the game out. He was never seen at London Road again and set off on a journey to Altrincham, Stockport and Boston United before helping Salford into the Football League. He spent two years struggling with Oldham in League Two before Evans snapped him up and made him his club captain. Piergianni was outstanding last night and at 30 could yet be part of a successful side which would be a victory for patience and perseverance.