Good and bad news follows win

The good news is Posh are four wins from Wembley.

The bad news is they face many more miles on the road to play reserve sides in front of sparse crowds to reach the Checkatrade Trophy Final for the second time in five years.

It was win or bust for Posh in their final group game at the ABAX Stadium on Tues- day, although one suspects failure would have been greeted with indifference rather than disappointment.

Posh have the strength in depth to do well in this competition. They made 10 changes to their starting lineup and still fielded a side one would expect to do reasonably well at League One level.

Goalscorers Colin Daniel and Ivan Toney have played and excelled in the first XI, while Marcus Maddison’s presence among back-up boys continues to fascinate.

Maddison set up Daniel’s goal with a fine run and chip and delivered some quality moments which unsettled a Luton side that was also much-changed and yet still pretty strong.

Toney’s superbly struck goal straight from a set-piece put Posh 2-0 up at the break, but a comfortable win turned into a frantic finale after ‘keeper Conor O’Malley was credited with an own goal after failing to properly catch Matt Pearson’s fiercely driven cross.

Pearson spurned an immediate chance to equalise with a free header from a corner before Posh battened down the hatches and saw out the game.

Many players have much to prove in these games and experienced centre-back Sebastien Bassong looked composed on the ball on his club debut, while right-back Darren Lyon and central midfielder Louis Reed did their chances of more meaningful enployment in the immediate future no harm at all.

The same applies to Maddison whose willingness to run back towards his own goal would have impressed a demanding manager as much as his dribbling, passing and shooting.