Experienced defender urges Posh to keep the pressure on their promotion rivals

Peterborough United defender Nathan Thompson insists his side must maximise their current run of excellent form to put the other League One promotion contenders under maximum pressure.
By Alan Swann
Published 18th Feb 2021, 16:26 BST
Updated 19th Feb 2021, 10:08 BST
Nathan Thompson wins an aerial duel in the January win over Charlton. Photo: David Lowndes.Nathan Thompson wins an aerial duel in the January win over Charlton. Photo: David Lowndes.
Nathan Thompson wins an aerial duel in the January win over Charlton. Photo: David Lowndes.

Posh have picked up 19 points from their last eight League One matches - winning their last three - and only Oxford (21 points) can beat that record.

Posh have made up lots of ground on promotion rivals Lincoln (15 points), Doncaster (15), Sunderland (14), Hull (13), Accrington (12) and Charlton (11) over the last eight matches. Doncaster have lost their last three matches and host second-placed Hull on Saturday (February 20) when Posh host lowly AFC Wimbledon.

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Posh then travel to 10th-placed Plymouth on Tuesday before hosting struggling Wigan on Saturday, February 27.

“It’s a big period for us,” Thompson said. “We have three winnable games coming up and it’s important we maximise our current form and keep the pressure up. It’s important we show the same focus for these games as we’ve shown throughout our current run though.

“We play with a swagger, a king of arrogance, at home, like no-one is going to come and win on our patch, and the way we turned the game around at Gillingham on Tuesday was really encouraging. That was further proof of how we are progressing as a side. The team is starting to grow up.”

Thompson moved from the centre of a three-man defence to the right-back position at Gillingham and it’s that flexibility that gives the experienced defender hope he can achieve the first promotion from League One of his career.

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“We’ve been eggective with different formations,” Thompson added. “The manager has briefed us well and we have shown we can adapt during games

“I’ve played in teams who only had a Plan A and they were determined to stick with it no matter what. I enjoyed playing right back at the start of the season when I was working well with Joe Ward and we did well together again at Gillingham.”

Thompson has picked up more League One yellow cards (8) than any other Posh player this season. Two more would bring a two-match suspension, but there is an amnesty after 32 matches so Thompson must tread carefully for five more games.

Related topics:Nathan ThompsonLeague OneHullDoncasterOxfordGillinghamCharltonSunderland

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