As a football club, there has been a lot to be proud of this season and the players gave absolutely everything against Oxford United, but ultimately couldn’t get over the line.

At the start of the season, the expectations for this season from outside of the building were for a mid-table finish. The players have exceeded all expectations to finish fourth in a hugely competitive division and lifted the Bristol Street Motors Trophy, 10 years on from the last success in that competition. 

The manager was rightly proud of his players. He was also proud of the club for the direction they took in the summer following the heartbreak at Hillsborough. He could have no complaints for the way Posh went about their business at a raucous Weston Homes Stadium, but a combination of excellent goalkeeping and defending secured progress into the final for Des Buckingham’s side. 

Hector Kyprianou saw a controlled volley saved by goalkeeper Cumming on five minutes, while Josh Knight saw a glancing header go over the top following a Joel Randall corner.

Knight saw a deflected effort beaten away by Cumming on 22 minutes before Archie Collins’ goal-bound volley was superbly blocked by Elliott Moore.

On 40 minutes, Posh got their noses in front as a corner kick from Randall was superbly converted at the back post by KNIGHT.

On the stroke of half-time, Oxford were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box after a foul and Brannagan saw his fierce free-kick blocked by the hand of Burrows.

BRANNAGAN converted from the spot, sending goalkeeper Jed Steer the wrong way from 12-yards. Moments later, Randall saw a close-range effort tipped over by Cumming before the half-time whistle was blown.

Ricky-Jade Jones saw a close-range effort saved by Cumming after a low Burrows cross before Ephron Mason-Clark’s low strike was saved by the keeper.

Substitute McGuane was a whisker away from making the game safe for the visitors on 82 minutes, but his low shot went inches past the post.

Seven minutes of injury-time was indicated and inside the first minute of that, Jonson Clarke-Harris saw a header somehow cleared off the line. Emmanuel Fernandez headed over from close-range from a Collins cross moments later before Cumming made a superb stop to keep out Knight.

Right at the death, a flick from Fernandez somehow eluded a combination of bodies at the far post before the referee Andrew Kitchen, who had missed a penalty appeal from Posh earlier in the second half, brought an end to the contest.

Posh: Steer, Katongo (sub Clarke-Harris 77min), Burrows, Edwards, Knight, Mason-Clark, Poku (sub Ajiboye 77min), Randall, Jones (sub Mothersille 67min), Kyprianou, Collins. Unused subs: Bilokapic, De Havilland, , Dornelly, Fernandez.

Oxford: Cumming, Brown, Moore, Brannagan, Harris, Bennett (sub Browne 85min), Stevens (sub Long 46min), Goodrham (sub McGuane 31min), Rodrigues, Murphy, Dale (sub Leigh 78min). Unused subs: Eastwood, McEachran, Bodin, Browne.

Half-time: Peterborough United 1-1 Oxford United
Full-time:Peterborough United 1-1 Oxford United
Referee: Andrew Kitchen
Attendance: 12,420 (1,306 Oxford fans)