The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
A new Posh ‘legend’ at the tender age of 22!
Achieving ‘legend’ status at a football club at the age of 22 is rare even in these hype-filled days.
But Harrison Burrows has surely joined the likes of Wembley hero Ken Charlery, ‘Captain Fantastic’ Mick Halsall and famed Posh Academy star Micky Gynn as bona fide Posh greats after his EFL Trophy Final heroics last weekend.
What a story Burrows has written,and starred in, in the last 12 months. He’s skippering his local club, one he joined at the age of nine. He stood on the terraces when Posh won this competition 10 years ago and now he’s a Wembley matchwinner as two goals in a hard fought 2-1 win over Wycombe Wanderers followed the two goals he scored in the semi-final success at Blackpool.
And he’s a left-back remember, albeit a very modern one, one likely to be seen in and around the opposition penalty area as often as his own.
He has a remarkable 11 goals in an all competitions this season as well as 12 League One assists. No wonder his manager and his chairman both hailed him as one of the best players, if not the best, in League One.
“Harrison has been amazing this season,” Posh boss Darren Ferguson said. “We have had to work with him - everyone knows left back is not a natural position for him, but he’s been the most consistent player in the whole league.
“Every week he’s a seven or eight out of ten. He very rarely has a bad game and he weighs in with assists and goals. I’m so delighted for him and his family because it means so much to them all.”
Chairman Darragh MacAnthony added: “Our captain stepped up when we needed him. He’s magnificent. He’s made in Peterborough. He came through our Academy, and now he’s the best player in League One by a mile.
“When he was first put in at left back a few of our fans got onto him, but then they got behind him and he got into the role. He’s just been brilliant this season.
“He talks so well for such a young man as well. I’m very proud of him.”
Burrows lit up what had been a scruffy old final as professional spoilers Wycombe deployed an effective gameplan which restricted the midfield space so often expertly exploited by a gifted set of young ball-players.
For 85 minutes extra-time and even penalties looked nailed on, but then there was incredible late drama and a 91st minute winning goal that even the mighty Burrows had to accept was a huge fluke as his high, hanging cross flew over hapless Wycombe goalkeeper Franco Ravizzoli and before landing in his net.
It was an astonishing finale as Posh looked to have won it six minutes earlier when Burrows drilled home from just inside the penalty area after a neat piece of interplay with Ephron Mason-Clark.
But that prompted Wycombe to send on a pair of forwards and one of them, Dale Taylor, scored with his first touch, a precise 20-yard volley.
Momentum was with ‘The Chairboys’ one assumed, but Posh regrouped kept possession, won a corner and the lethal, and on this occasion lucky, left-foot of Burrows did the rest.
Posh had been terrible in the opening 20 minutes and survived three scares in three minutes before waking up as Matt Butcher and Garath McCleary shot just over the bar before a terrific covering header from Burrows, who else, helped out a badly exposed Ronnie Edwards.
But Ferguson made subtle tactical changes and Posh were the better side from then on without reaching the heights they are capable of against a side they have rarely beaten in recent times.
Jadel Katongo did test Ravizzoli with a raking 20-yarder, while Kwame Poku’s goalbound shot appeared to be saved by the arms of defender Luke Leahy after good work from the impressive Joel Randall.
Josh Knight, a former Wycombe player-of-the-year, glanced a header just wide from a set-piece and after
the break Posh won a flurry of corners which were well defended apart from the one Hector Kyprianou headed
wide at the back post.
Posh won the corner count 15-2 incidentally, but it was only the 2-1 final scoreline that mattered.
It’s now four wins in four appearances at Wembley in the club’s history. They have a chance to extend that perfect record to five matches before this memorable season is over.
The confidence boost from this dramatic late success can surely only help that aim.
MATCH FACTS Goals: Posh – Burrows (85 mins & 91 mins). Wycombe – Taylor (89 mins).
Posh cautions: Burrows, Collins.
Referee: Scott Oldham 6
Attendance: 42,292 (Approx 22,600 Posh).