Under 20s Pick up first win of the season

Peterborough Matches - Tournament Report – by Terry Oakley
Eastern Counties Under 20’s

1st Match – Peterborough versus Middlesbrough
Referees:- M.Baker and S.Aitken

Within the first two minutes of this game Middlesbrough caught Peterborough cold.  An unopposed run by George Redpath across the half way line saw him wind up to hit an accurate slapshot into the Peterborough net.  Peterborough 0 Middlesbrough 1

Peterborough were enjoying long periods of ball possession but their shots at goal were all wide of the target.  Another good run by George Redpath which took him behind the Peterborough goal.  He looked up and spotted the fast arriving Zak Osborne.  A quick pass to Zak, despite Peterborough defenders being in front of the Peterborough goal, and Zak was first to react and sweep the ball home.  Peterborough 0 Middlesbrough 2

Peterborough then launched a meaningful attack involving Declan Lander and Josh Aaltonen.  At one stage in this move the ball looked to have been lost to both attackers but Josh reacted first and placed a fine flick shot wide of the Middlesbrough goalie and into the net.  Peterborough 1 Middlesbrough 2 
Half Time – Peterborough 1 Middlesbrough 2 
Peterborough then continued their fight back with another good move involving Josh Aaltonen and Luca Oakley.  Josh advanced forward into a goal scoring position and hit a fine slapshot towards the Middlesbrough goal with the keeper making a good block.  However, the rebound was quickly snapped up by Luca who was up in support of the attack and he slid the ball under the diving goalie.  Peterborough 2 Middlesbrough 2

The second Peterborough goal seemed to settle the play down and much of that play was confined into the mid rink areas with no notable goal scoring attempts to mention.

Peterborough 2 Middlesbrough 2 – Full Time Score

This was an even game which was competitively contested and Middlesbrough are probably aggrieved that they did not press home their early advantage to get more goals after going two nil up and allow Peterborough to make a comeback.

2nd Match – Peterborough versus Cottenham & Cambridge
Referees:- M.Baker and S.Aitken

Peterborough started strongly and had three glorious chances in the first two minutes.  Each of those close range shots were directly at the Cottenham keeper, Elise Cakebread, who easily palmed them away to safety.  This was followed by a quick counter attack from Cottenham involving Jensen Richards and Connor Adams.  A timely pass from Jensen across the rink to Connor and he swept the ball home.  Peterborough 0 Cottenham 1 
Another good move from Cottenham found Jensen Richards in space and he calmly made time to find the back of the Peterborough net.  Peterborough 0 Cottenham 2 
Peterborough’s defending was looking ragged and again a Cottenham player, Connor Adams, was able to advance unchecked past the half way line and he picked his spot with an excellent slapshot.  Peterborough 0 Cottenham 3 
A foul from a Cottenham player placed Peterborough within goal scoring range.  A quick pass to Josh Aaltonen and he wound himself up to hit a fine slapshot into the Cottenham net.  Peterborough 1 Cottenham 3 
Another mistake by a Peterborough player who, despite being the last man in defence, shot at the Cottenham goal.  That shot was charged down by Connor Adams who then had a free unopposed run towards the Peterborough goal and he confidently placed his shot wide of the diving Peterborough goalie.  Peterborough 1 Cottenham 4
Half Time – Peterborough 1 Cottenham 4 

Peterborough’s defending in the second half improved significantly.  However, it did not prevent Jensen Richards from making a fine run down the right hand side of the Peterborough defence and he calmly placed his shot wide of the diving goalkeeper, Tyler Salmon. Peterborough 1 Cottenham 5 

Peterborough 1 Cottenham 5 – Full Time Score

This game could have been so different.  Peterborough had three gilt edged chances in the first two minutes which all went begging.  Following that Cottenham took control of the game and gave Peterborough a lesson in how to clinically take the chances that come your way.  Peterborough had many shots on goal throughout this game but too many of them were way off target.  A comfortable win for Cottenham. 
3rd Match – Peterborough versus Kings Lynn
Referees:- A.Adams and S.Aitken

After an initial flurry of attacks for both teams the first breakthrough came.  A slapshot from range was partially saved by the Kings Lynn goalkeeper only for the ball to squirm away from her and Luca Oakley was the first to react to the rebound to place his shot wide of the diving keeper.  Peterborough 1 Kings Lynn 0

Kings Lynn responded with an excellent slapshot, from distance, from Josh Futter which struck the Peterborough post and bounced to safety.  However, he was not to be outdone.  A couple of minutes later Kings Lynn were level.  A burst of speed by Josh took him past two defenders and his powerful slapshot found the top right hand corner of the Peterborough net.  Peterborough 1 Kings Lynn 1

Half Time – Peterborough 1 Kings Lynn 1

A good break forward by Josh Aaltonen and his quick cross rink pass to Harry Hillam and he placed his shot under the diving Kings Lynn goalie.  Peterborough 2 Kings Lynn 1

Two quick breaks forward by Luca Oakley produced two fine saves from Imogen Senter in the Kings Lynn goal.  The game then looked to have swung towards Kings Lynn when in a mad two minute spell they scored two goals both from rebounds from the Peterborough goalie.  The first was swept home by the Kings Lynn number 8 (Taylor) and the second by Harvey Dugdale.  Peterborough 2 Kings Lynn 3 
Harry Hillam, for Peterborough, then burst into life.  Firstly his fine slapshot hits the Kings Lynn bar and bounces to safety with nobody following up for the rebound and then he hits an almost identical slapshot from the same position and this time it finds the top right hand corner of the Kings Lynn net.  Peterborough 3 Kings Lynn 3

With very few minutes left in this game another fast break forward from defence from Luca Oakley allowed him to find space to hit a slapshot towards the Kings Lynn goal.  The goalkeeper manged to get a hand to the shot only for the ball to spin up in the air above her goal and James Berry was fast on the scene to smash the ball, as it fell, into the Kings Lynn net.  Peterborough 4 Kings Lynn 3 
Peterborough 4 Kings Lynn 3 – Full Time Score

At last, Peterborough’s first victory in this season’s Under 20’s competition.  A battling performance rewarded by a win.  They never gave up in the match, played some good hockey,  and showed some belief that they could snatch a win from this contest.

4th Match – Peterborough versus Letchworth
Referees:- A.Adams and T.Czifra

Peterborough dictated ball possession without breaking down the Letchworth defence for all of this first half.  However, a Peterborough mistake on the half way line was snapped up by Sasha Aitken who was quickly supported by McKenzie Allen.  This move developed into a two versus one situation and Sasha waited for the right moment to place a cross rink pass to McKenzie who swept his shot under the diving Peterborough goalkeeper.  Peterborough 0 Letchworth 1.

Half Time - Peterborough 0 Letchworth 1

The second half was a repeat of the first half in terms of ball possession being dominated by Peterborough.  Letchworth, though, were quite content to continue to carry out their Game Plan instructions to block any advances forward towards their goal.  All Peterborough could offer was long range shots which were either way off target or comfortably batted away by the Letchworth goalie.

Peterborough 0 Letchworth 1 – Full Time Score.

For the second consecutive Tournament Peterborough struggled to break down a well organised Letchworth Team.  For a Team to have 90% ball possession through this match, which is what Peterborough had and to not seriously worry the opponent’s goalkeeper, is a real mystery. Letchworth have a Game Plan in which they all know their roles.  The outfield rink players are so disciplined in carrying out their duties that if they ever slip up they know that they have an excellent goalie, Louie Allen, behind them who is currently in fine form.  They stick to that Game Plan and pounce on any mistake that the other Team make to quickly advance forward, usually as a pair, to pick their opponents off to score their goals. Fair play to them for starting so well in these first two tournaments.

Again silly mistakes in these matches were punished by their opponents.  Peterborough make these Under 20’s matches so difficult by conceding too many goals by gifting them to the other teams’ and making it easy for them to secure a result.  Another frustrating Tournament from a Peterborough point of view.