Stevenage and Peterborough shared the spoils at the first home friendly of the season as Emmanuel Sonupe’s first half opener was cancelled out by a Mo Eisa penalty...

Maamria’s men were more than a match for the League One outfit on the night during an entertaining and competitive game between the two sides that saw a number of stand-out performances from the boys in red and white.

The Manager named a strong starting XI to take on Posh with only one trialist starting the match, surrounded by 10 potential First Team starters. New signing Dean Parrett was thrust straight into the action, coming up against former Stevenage star Matty Godden who led the line for the Posh.

It took seven minutes for the first attempt on goal to register – a stinging strike from Sriki Dembele at a narrow angle that had Farman briefly scrambling across his line before punching clear.

Stevenage were playing positively though and looking sharp so when Sonupe swept his side in-front on the 10th minute, it came as no real surprise. After Peterborough’s Barker lost control of the ball by the right hand touchline, Guthrie pounced before driving into the area and laying the ball of for Sonupe to finish off.

Matty Godden reminded the Stevenage supporters of his qualities on 20 minutes, watching a long, looping ball drop over his shoulder before unleashing a left footed first time volley that flew narrowly over the crossbar. Sriki Dembele was continuing to be a thorn in the Stevenage side and smashed what looked like a goal-bound shot into the face of Scott Cuthbert after another of his mazy runs through the thirds.

Dean Parrett was looking right at home during his first half display and dazzled the crowd with ooh’s and aah’s after twice nutmegging his opposition markers during a trademark burst through the middle. The half-time whistle meant the end of his and Farman’s nights work as youngsters Iontton and Smith joined the action. Peterborough made wholesale changes themselves on 60 minutes as a whole new XI took to the pitch. So many changes were bound to disrupt the flow of the game and so it proved as the chances began to dry up in the second half.

Newton came a whisker away from grabbing his team’s second around the hour mark as he dragged a left footed shot wide following more good team build-up but Posh finally got back on terms in the 70th minute, as a trialist goalkeeper tripped up Harrison Burrows and Mo Eisa tucked away the penalty.

Further Stevenage changes were made moments later as Emmanuel Sonupe - who put in arguably a Man of the Match performance - Chris Stokes and Danny Newton soon made way. Youngsters Liam Smyth, Jack Smith and Luis Fernandez all got their minutes in and by the end, only Cuthbert and Vancooten remained from the original starting XI.

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