Peterborough United -Vs- Southend United - Preview

Peterborough United host their first game of 2012/2013 season as League 2 side, Southend United, visit London Road for the Capital One Cup, First Round.

Peterborough United -Vs- Southend United
Venue: London Road
Date: 14th August, 2012
Kick-off: 7:45pm

Southend travel to London Road for the first competitive game of the new campaign, as both sides look to progress to the next round of the Capital One Cup.

Peterborough United will be looking to start their season with a win on Tuesday night, before they again prepare to battle for Championship survival.

TEAM NEWS

Peterborough United

Posh are still without the injured forwards Dave Hibbert and Emile Sinclair, but full back Craig Alcock is fit again, after playing a part in Posh`s final friendly against a Manchester United XI. Alcock is expected to start at left back, with Mark Little starting at right back. Tommy Rowe is still out until September.

Winger, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing will be out for around another 5 weeks, while Daniel Kearns is also a doubt. But the latter could return for the Championship opener at Leicester on Saturday. Darren Ferguson has a range of formations and options to choose from, especially in midfield. He has George Boyd, Grant McCann, Danny Swanson, Michael Bostwick, Lee Tomlin, Joe Newell and Lee Frecklington. As well as young midfielder Dan Lawlor.

Vital Posh predicts the starting line-up could be:

Olejnik

Little, Zakuani, Knight-Percival, Alcock

McCann
Swanson                    Boyd
Tomlin

Taylor, Barnett

Southend United

Southend United will include a couple of Posh targets, past and present. Posh were formerly interested in defender Kane Ferdinand, and are rumoured to currently be tracking winger, Ryan Hall. Both are expected to line up against the Posh on Tuesday.

They could also include experienced strikers Neil Harris and Freddy Eastwood, formerly of Millwall and Coventry respectively. Another man that is known to Posh fans is former Millwall midfielder David Martin, who won the penalty that was taken three times before they finally scored. (Questionable refereeing to say the least!)

HOTSHOTS

Peterborough United

0 - Barnett
0 - Taylor
0 - Sinclair
0 - Tomlin
0 - Swanson
0 - Boyd
Southend United

0 - Eastwood
0 - Harris
0 - Mohsni
0 - Martin
PREDICTION

Both sides will undoubtedly be looking to get their seasons off to a winning start, and will also be looking to advance as far as possible through this seasons League Cup.

This should be a game that the Posh are expected to win.

Vital Posh predicts a comfortable 3 - 0 win.

REFEREE

Mark BROWN takes charge of this clash. Mr Brown has refereed the Posh 3 times before, and one of those games saw a sending off. The last time he officiated Posh was in December 2011, against Coventry City. There were only 2 yellow cards issued that day, that saw Posh run out 1-0 winners.

He refereed 34 matches last season, issuing 99 yellow cards, and 6 reds in the process.

He will be assisted by John Scott and Matthew Buonassisi.

The fourth official is Geoff Law.

UP THE POSH

Follow me on Twitter: @TommLeaa

Photos/images courtesy of www.theposhpics.com

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