But manager Darren Ferguson is likely to pin his faith in Scott Rendell in this weekend's local derby with Northampton rather than scour the country for a replacement on loan.

Rendell scored after replacing Mclean. It was his fourth Posh goal and he's only started three matches since arriving from Cambridge United earlier this year.

Ferguson said: "I'd be very happy to play Scott in the side. I felt he did well on Saturday and his goals record for us is very good so he deserves an opportunity.

"I'm not totally ruling out a loan signing, but it would have to be a very good one to get me interested. The diagnosis for Aaron's return is anything between three and six weeks which is actually quite a relief as I expected him to be out for a long time.

"I knew it was a bad one when he went down as I could see his arms shaking, but knowing Aaron he will be back in nearer three weeks than six."

Posh are unable to recall strikers Rene Howe – a scorer for Morecambe on Saturday – or Liam Hatch from their loan spells.

Mclean had scored his second goal of the season before being stretchered off three minutes before half-time.

Posh still went on to win thanks mainly to a brilliant hat-trick from Craig Mackail-Smith – his third for the club in less than 12 months.

Ferguson expects to find out today whether or not he's been successful in securing 20 year-old Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson on loan this afternoon.

Gibson was a target for Posh in the summer, but preferred to spend pre-season training at United.

Central defender Gaby Zakuani will arrive at London Road tomorrow to start his one-month loan spell from Fulham.

Zakuani was absent on international duty for the Democratic Republic of Congo at the weekend, but didn't feature in a 2-1 World Cup qualifying defeat in Egypt.

Posh skipper Craig Morgan played for Wales in their 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over Azerbaijan in Cardiff.

But goalkeeper Joe Lewis failed to even make the substitutes' bench for England Under 21s in their European Championship win over Portugal at Wembley on Friday.