Peterborough United backed as good enough for top half finish by interim boss after he 'enjoyed' watching his side at Stockport County

Posh were beaten 1-0 at Edgeley Park thanks to a second half tap-in from Kyle Wootton following a defensive blunder and a very fortunate deflection.

Harley is unlikely to manage the side again with Posh not in action again until they host Ipswich in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, October 6.

The new man will likely take charge of a Posh side with five points from their first eight games and a position next-to-bottom of League One.

When asked what a realistic goal for the rest of the season should be, Harley insisted the squad was capable to pushing into the top half.

Harley said: “They are a good group with loads of energy and they are ready to work. They want to become good players, some of them aren’t readymade players yet and are trying to become that. We have some senior players like Liam Kelly, Carl Johnston and Alex Bass. Kelly was brilliant in the middle of the pitch today.

"There’s talent in the group, they just have to get better bit by bit. They have to stick together and have spirit because if you don’t have that you don't have anything.

"The players showed they had a toughness today. The goal was an issue of not switching on. If they can defend the box correctly, and their own final third, they can beat teams with the ball. They can score goals, they are a dangerous team and have really exciting wingers and attacking midfield players. There’s decent players all over the pitch, it’s just that last bit.

“The club can be in the top half of the table if the players find rhythm and switch on more consistently.”

Speaking on the defeat, Harley added that he felt a point would have been a fair result.

He said: “I’m happy with the side generally. It was a difficult game. I told the players on Thursday what a good team they are, we knew what they are but had to take the game to them.

“They dominated in spells, as I thought they would, but the lads gave a really good account of themselves. We unnerved them in the first 15 minutes and could have pinched a few goals from taking the ball off them, but we weren’t quite tidy enough in that last moment.

“We didn’t get enough control in the first half and needed to be a bit braver. If you give it back to teams like that, they’ll just murder you.

“The lads were braver on the ball in the second half and overall, we were pretty good. In any game, you have to defend the box. Part of the goal comes from that. We know we have to clear the ball.

“At times in the second half we looked like a proper team and then that goal made us look the opposite. It was almost comical.

“We still should have got a draw out of the game because we had chances towards the end.

“We defended the ball really well in the first half against a really powerful team. I quite liked the lads today. I really enjoyed watching them today because they really emptied the tank.”

Posh are next in League One action at Leicester City on October 10. The Foxes currently sit 14th having taken nine points from seven matches.