Darren Ferguson still hails 'good day' for Peterborough United despite 'losing all composure' late in Bristol Rovers victory
Darren Ferguson insisted he was a happy manager despite having to watch his Peterborough United side cling onto a 3-2 victory over Bristol Rovers at the Weston Homes Stadium on Saturday.
Posh were 3-0 up, thanks to goals from Kwame Poku, Ricky-Jade Jones and Malik Mothersille, and looked to be cruising to victory against weak opposition with just 15 minutes left to play.
There was, however, to be a twist in the tail when Posh went to sleep at the back and conceded twice in two minutes which led to a nerve wracking end to the game in which Ferguson’s men had to soak up a significant amount of pressure.
Posh were able to hold on though to record their first home win of the season and move up to 10th in the standings, having taken 10 points from their opening six games.
The taste of victory was somewhat soured, however, due to injuries sustained by forwards Chris Conn-Clarke and Ricky-Jade Jones.
Despite the struggles late in the game, Ferguson, who made three changes to the side that drew at home to Lincoln last week, and deployed a wing back system from the start for the first time this season, insisted his side came away from the match happy with the result. David Ajiboye started as a wing-back even though he’s on the transfer list. Regular starters Sam Curtis and Joel Randall were among the substitutes.
Ferguson said: “In the first half we were excellent as we absolutely dominated and created chances. The shape was very good and we controlled the game. The tempo was quicker, we played forward more.
“The whole freshness of the shape helped us. We needed something fresh and the fans needed to see something different. We have struggled to break teams down at home, but that wasn’t the case today. The only disappointment in the first half was Conn-Clarke getting injured.
“We started the second half by being a little sloppy, but then we got the third goal and we had other chances. It’s really important to have our forward scoring goals, Ricky scored, Malik scored and could have had others and Kwame looks our most attacking threat. When he plays in a central position he gets a lot more involved. David came into the team and did a really good job, although maybe he tired a little bit. He needed to stop the cross for the second goal.
“Sam was one I had to take out as he’s just a kid and he can’t play every game. That wasn’t the case with Joel as he needs to find his form. The choice was between Joel and Kwame and I went Kwame because he has looked more of a threat and is playing better at the moment.
“We were completely dominant and then all of a sudden, we conceded two really poor goals. We then lost all composure; on the ball and off it. Maybe you get that with a young team. At that point, Jed Steer has to use his experience and organise those in front of him. We have to defend those goals better. We were hanging on at the end and in a game that we were dominating like that, you should never be in that position.
“We’ve now had six games and not kept a single clean sheet and that has to improve. The manner of their goals were really poor. We have to stop the ball going in the box and if it does, you have to deal with it and we simply didn’t. We’re not marking. The first one is so easy and it gave them momentum they simply did not have. At that point, we did look lost and lacking in composure.
“We kept giving the ball back to them, which wasn’t helped by the referee. He was appalling. You can tell it was his first game at this level. He was so bad. I don’t know where they get 10 minutes added time from. If we were losing, it would have been four - it happens all the time. We’re the most fouled team in the league and he gave them everything.
“We leave happy to have won. We have made a solid start and now we’ve got a rhythm of games coming up, which will suit us. All in all it was a good day. Tuesday is a new day and it doesn’t mean we’re going to play this system all of the time.”
Posh now begin a period of seven games in 21 days starting with the rearranged trip to Leyton Orient on Tuesday. The O’s sit in 20th, but have now won back-to-back games, after four straight defeats to begin the season. They were surprise 4-1 winners away at Stockport on Saturday.