Peterborough boss Steve Evans lauds ‘special’ Ivan Toney

Posted Wednesday, December 12, 2018 by PA

Steve Evans paid tribute to Ivan Toney after his hat-trick helped send Peterborough through to the FA Cup third round by beating Bradford on penalties in a thrilling second round replay at Valley Parade.

Toney, a summer signing from Newcastle, scored the first two goals and then a late equaliser to make the score 4-4 after Bradford had fought back from 3-1 down at half time to lead 4-3.

Evans said: “Ivan Toney is a special player. His three goals tonight were superb.”

Evans also praised keeper Conor O’Malley, who saved three of Bradford’s five penalties. He said: “Conor O’Malley has had an eventful 120 minutes. He made a big save at the end of extra time to keep us in it and then three big saves from the penalties.

“It was organised chaos in both boxes. Our defending was nowhere near it tonight, but we looked dangerous every time we went forward.

“We could have won this cup tie several times over over the two matches. Even at the end of extra time we had several clear cut opportunities to kill it before the penalties.”

Posh’s top-scorer Toney shook Bradford by scoring twice in two minutes to put the visitors 2-0 up after 20 minutes.

Bradford hit back through George Miller before Peterborough restored their two goal advantage in the fourth minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half as Siriki Dembele teed up Marcus Maddison to tap the ball into the net at the far post to put the visitors 3-1 ahead at half time.

Bradford then levelled the scores with two goals in five minutes at the start of the second half as David Ball and Paul Caddis found the target.

Bradford then went ahead for the first time in the match in the 72nd minute when Miller tapped in from close range for his second goal.

But the 22-year-old Toney completed his hat trick with Peterborough’s equaliser in the 83rd minute when Maddison’s cross found him unmarked and he scored with a looping header.

There were no more goals in extra time, leaving the visitors to go through to visit Middlesbrough in the third round after winning the penalty shoot out 3-2.

Bradford manager David Hopkin said: “It was a fantastic cup match. I didn’t think we deserved to be 3-1 down at half time because we played some great football.

“I said to the players at half time that we had come back from 2-0 down at Peterborough in the first match to draw 2-2 and we fought back to lead 4-3 tonight before conceding another free header.

“I was disappointed with the penalties – penalty kicks are a lottery – but it was a fantastic effort from the players. We are still conceding goals, but the way we got back to 4-3 shows the mentality and the attitude of the players is changing.

“We are getting fitter and stronger and players like Jack Payne, David Ball and Lewis O’Brien are causing all sorts of problems.

“We have got to cut out the goals conceded, but the players showed fantastic character.”