The manager, who is paid to be positive, might still have been looking towards the top six after his team had played a dramatic 'get out of jail free card' to mug a point from Tranmere.

But to many regular watchers, disappointed by displays more erratic than Aaron Mclean's driving habits, ensuring they don't get sucked into an early-season relegation scrap is a more immediate priority.

Posh rallied with great spirit to force an equaliser through centre-back Gaby Zakuani's powerful header 12 minutes from time and almost snatched an unlikely winner when speedy sub Shaun Batt was denied by a fine save by Tranmere keeper Danny Coyne.

Related:
Don't let the gap get bigger
POSH boss Darren Ferguson insists his side must not let the gap between them and the top sides in League One grow any bigger. 22 September 2008
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But how Tranmere weren't already celebrating a second successive away win only God and visiting striker Chris Greenacre knows.

Greenacre scored both goals for the visitors during a dominant first-half spell, but he could easily have had five as the Posh back four played like strangers for the opening hour.

Even the dependable Craig Morgan, who Rovers manager Ronnie Moore believed should have been sent off for a deliberate handball, and Russell Martin fell way below their normal standards, but Greenacre obligingly shot over an open goal and then missed two sitters from inside the six yard box.

"It was a great game," Moore said. "But we should have been out of sight before they equalised and Chris should have had the match-ball tucked under his arm.

"And why Morgan wasn't sent off is a mystery. The referee said the left-back was covering him, but he must have been on a motor-bike or he'd never have got back in time."

Moore's jolly press conference was in stark contrast to Posh manager Darren Ferguson's. He found comfort in his side's resilience, their attacking play and the display of midfielder Paul Coutts, but they alone will not secure the promotion his chairman is demanding.

Craig Mackail-Smith actually struck the inside of a post in the third minute before Tranmere's hustling approach enabled them to dominate proceedings.

A whipped cross and a glancing header from Greenacre saw them in front on six minutes and the same player pounced on a headed through ball to exploit huge gaps in the Posh defence for a second goal just past the half-hour mark.

Greenacre, who hadn't scored this season before this match, also scooped over the bar from eight yards after Joe Lewis had somehow kept out a close-range header from Bas Savage, before volleying over after a long throw had caused chaos in the penalty area.

Posh were dawdling in possession and, with the exception of Coutts, passed sloppily, but a fierce low cross from George Boyd was converted by Mackail-Smith four minutes before the break to at least offer hope.

But the pattern of play continued after the break with Greenacre and Ryan Shotton both missing sitters before Posh roused themselves for one final push.

The departure of the ineffective Scott Rendell helped as much as the arrival of Batt and Dominic Green, a winger who wouldn't look out of place physically in an under 12 side.

Crosses started to rain in on the Tranmere penalty area and after the occasional near-miss Zakuani rose majestically at the far post to convert Martin's precise set-piece.

There was a certain irony about a player described as 'an out and out defender' scoring a point-saving goal, but the draw should not be allowed to paper over some pretty large cracks.

Some players, Jamie Day and Charlie Lee among them, are struggling at this higher level and there might need to be a re-think of the attacking strategy in the absence of Mclean.

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