Clean sheet was more important than a goal for Peterborough United full-back

Sparkes was a star of a 2-0 win over Stevenage in an EFL Trophy group tie at the Weston Homes Stadium on Tuesday. The holders now have one foot in the knockout stages after winning their opening two group games. Malik Mothersille scored the other goal on a night which saw a lengthy second-half delay after torrential rain saturated the London Road playing surface.

It was a third home win in a row for Posh – two of them against Stevenage in four days – but the first clean sheet of the season was as big a boost for the confidence of a defence that has come under fire at times this season.

Fergie on Sparkes

"As a team we played well,” ;eft-back Sparkes insisted. “We needed to improve on some things we did against Stevenage at the weekend, but we put together a good gameplan and it came together well. It was a good win and performance, but the clean sheet was the main thing for us. It was our first one of the season and we can take the confidence from it into the League One games.

"Stevenage had a fair amount of possession, but they didn’t really open us up. There was one big chance in the first half when George Nevett made a great block, but apart from that there wasn’t a lot of threat. We dug in really well.

"Malik poached his goal well after my free-kick had been headed on by a defender and my goal showed what this team is all about. We are the best in the league at playing through teams. No-one can stop us when we play like we did for my goal. I just found myself free and made sure I hit the ball on target.

“It was tough physically after the rain delay. The gaffer just told us to play down the lines and avoid risk and the lads handled the conditions very well. We struggled at home at the start of the season, but it’s coming together now. We need to make our place a tough place for teams to come.”

Posh host Rotherham United in one of only two League One games taking place on Saturday because of international call-ups. Crawley host Shrewsbury in a battle between two teams in the bottom four in the other game.