Darren Ferguson got exactly the reaction he expected after labelling his Peterborough United side as 'bottlers' in midweek

A 2-0 Posh win over Bristol Rovers at the Weston Homes Stadium was the perfect response from the players after the manager accused them of lacking character and once again bottling a big game when things got tough.

Ferguson made just two enforced changes to the side that started at Mansfield, with Kwame Poku (injured) and Peter Kioso (suspended) dropping out in favour of David Ajiobye and Jadel Katongo as Posh’s players were given the chance to prove themselves.

A first Posh goal for Archie Collins and a first league strike for the club from Ajiboye saw off Rovers.

The win means that Posh are unbeaten in their last four league games and move up to fifth, level with Bolton above them and Port Vale below them, ahead of a trip to lowly Carlisle United on Tuesday. Posh are unbeaten in their last six competitive matches.

Ferguson said: “The reaction was one I expected. There’s been a lot of noise around what I said after Tuesday’s game, but I know these players and I felt we would get the reaction. We looked more aggressive and more gritty when we needed to.

“I’d call it a gritty win. It wasn’t the most exciting game, but a win is a win and a clean sheet is important. I think they’ve only had two real shots on target. All in all, it’s a good day for us.

"Leading into the game, the session we did on Thursday with the players that didn’t play on Tuesday was outstanding. Those days don’t go unnoticed, they’re very important.”

“It was a really pleasing result and an overdue clean sheet. The performance was solid. We didn’t have as many shots and create as many chances as we have been doing, but it was a solid performance and we could have won it by more."

Ferguson stuck with his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation from the start, bringing in Jadel Katongo and Ajiboye for Kioso and Poku, but also made key changes with 20 minutes to play that wrestled back the momentum from the visitors.

Zak Sturge replaced Ricky-Jade Jones on the wing and Ryan De Havilland replaced Jonson Clarke-Harris with Ephron Mason-Clark pushed into the striker role.

Ferguson added: “The game was a bit flat to start with as both teams were having a look at each other, but once Archie scored we got on top and we grew into the game. We got a great start to the second half too, but 15 minutes after we got sloppy, complacent and a little bit lazy.

"It wasn’t deliberate, but wide players stopped tucking in and I needed to change the midfield as they were getting control. Ephron as a ten was getting too high.

“The subs did really well when they came on.

“Jonno was tired. He didn’t have the energy he has had recently. He looked a little bit off it and the subs at that time turned the flow of the game.

“Ephron was excellent when he went up front. He won’t get shrugged off the ball and he’ll run in behind. Zak did well on the wide left too as he maintained the pace on the side.”

Posh make the long trip to Carlisle next. The Cumbrians were beaten 2-0 away at Wycombe on Saturday and had goalkeeper Jokull Andresson sent off for a comical handball outside of the penalty area.

Andresson will now miss the game against Posh.