Oliver Norburn urges his Peterborough United teammates to realise how good they are after second half show sinks Derby

Derby County arrived at the Weston Homes Stadium on Saturday in a play-off place and with a squad packed with Premier League and plenty of Championship experience including Conor Hourihane, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and David McGoldrick.

Yet, they failed to make their first half dominance pay and were unable to find an answer to Posh’s second half show that saw Ephron Mason-Clark and Nathanael Ogbeta fire Posh to within a point of their visitors and the play-off places.

Norburn, who has started three consecutive games after recovering from a serious knee injury, hopes the 2-0 win will instill belief in his teammates.

Norburn said: “Derby have experienced players that have played at much higher levels and that showed in the first half, but we showed what we are about in the second half.

"We’re a very good side and we’re dangerous going forward. A big thing for me is we’ve got to believe how good we already are and how good a team we could be.

"It’s a big win. We’re on a good run and we’ve got to build momentum from this into the last eight games and see where it takes us. The fans were brilliant and they really helped us.

"We just weren’t at the races in the first half. They started with an intensity we didn’t match and that was something we spoke about in the week.

“We knew they would press us and it was perhaps a lack of belief on our part. That shouldn’t happen as we’re a good side, with good players and we’ve been playing very good football.

“They were the better team, but we showed character and to respond like that in the second half is a very positive sign.

“At half time, there were words exchanged and the gaffer changed a few things and second half we played more like us. We were more on the front foot, better on the ball and we created opportunities.

“What we did in the second half was the plan from the off.”

Posh now have a week off before they face Oxford United at home on Saturday, knowing that a win would guarantee they would travel to face Norburn’s former side Shrewsbury Town on Good Friday (April 7) in a play-off place.