04/04/2024 10:22
The clock is ticking down to the 2024 Bristol Street Motors Trophy final at Wembley Stadium this weekend, with Peterborough United looking to join the list of teams to have secured victory in the competition more than once.
That previous success came ten years ago, when goals from Josh McQuoid, Shaun Brisley and star striker Britt Assombalonga saw Posh beat Chesterfield 3-1 in the 2014 final.
This time around, Posh will go up against first-time finalists Wycombe Wanderers as Darren Ferguson – already a Trophy winner as both as player and a manager – looks to become only the fourth man to lead his side to the title for a second time.
Peterborough’s route to the final kicked off back in September, when fellow League One side Cambridge United visited London Road in the opening group game.
Manchester City loanee Jadel Katongo volleyed in the opening goal on his debut before Ephron Mason-Clark doubled the advantage after the break, giving Peterborough all three points.
The second group game saw Posh go up against Tottentham’s Academy side, who took the lead when Alejo Veliz – a £13m summer signing – nodded in from close range.
Peterborough equalised thanks to a first career goal from Emmanuel Fernandez to go into half-time level at 1-1, with Ricky-Jade Jones and Kwame Poku completing the comeback in the second half; the latter with a fine drive home from outside the box.
Two wins from two all but confirmed progression to the Round of 32, and Peterborough duly secured a spot in the first knock-out stage as group winners despite going down to a 1-0 defeat at Colchester in the final group game.
The opening knock-out game resulted in a comfortable win against Arsenal, with Ryan De Havilland and Jonson Clarke-Harris both scoring in a four minute spell shortly before the break.
That put Posh in control of proceedings, and Malik Mothersille’s fine finish from a through ball five minutes into the second half rounded out a 3-0 success.
Another home tie followed in the Round of 16, where League Two visitors Crawley grabbed the lead in a game delayed by a week due to a frozen pitch. Peterborough battled back to equalise through Harrison Burrows, and Mason-Clark pounced on a poor pass to slot in his 14th goal of the season before the break and ultimately secure passage to the quarter-final stage.
That game with AFC Wimbledon would be won early, with Mothersille and Mason-Clark both netting within the opening five minutes to put Peterborough in control.
It would take until a minute from time before Wimbledon found the net through Ryan McLean but as the away side then went all out for equaliser in stoppage time, Posh were able to break up field and Jones slotted the ball into an empty net to round out a 3-1 win.
Finally drawn away from home for the semi-final with Blackpool, Peterborough hit the front in the first half through a curling shot from Mothersille, before a late double from Burrows wrapped up a 3-0 success and earned Posh a return to Wembley.
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