Posh counting the cost for cup clash

Peterborough have a handful of injury absentees ahead of the visit of Southend in the Capital One Cup first round.

Summer signing Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (hamstring), Daniel Kearns (knee) and Tommy Rowe (collar bone), along with long-term injury victim David Hibbert, will miss Posh's first competitive game of the campaign after sustaining injuries during the club's pre-season preparations. Hibbert is nearing a return to fitness having not featured for the club since suffering a dislocated knee in November 2010. The striker has since undergone a complete knee reconstruction. Posh were without Tyrone Barnett, who completed his £1million-plus move to London Road from Crawley over the summer, for their final warm-up match against a Manchester United XI on Friday night, but the striker is expected to recover from a slight hamstring problem to put himself in contention against the Shrimpers. Transfer-listed trio George Boyd, Nicky Ajose - the goalscorers during the 2-0 win over the Manchester United XI - and Grant McCann are available for selection.