Peterborough United boss blames a passive start for a first League One home defeat of 2020

Posh striker Jonson Clarke-Harris shoots at the Blackpool goal. Photo: David Lowndes.

Posh went down 2-1 to Blackpool at the Weston Homes Stadium to make it back-to-back defeats for the first time this season.

The defeat knocked Posh off the top of the table. They are now second ahead of Tuesday’s home game with Plymouth Argyle (November 24).

Frankie Kent looked like he had rescued a point for Posh with a goal on his 25th birthday six minutes from time, but Gary Madine won the game for the dominant visitors five minutes later.

Posh defender Frankie Kent in action for Posh against Blackpool. Photo: David Lowndes.

“We lost the game in the first 30 minutes,” Ferguson claimed. “We’ve had this fantastic home record in 2020 and the opposition would have been aware of that and possibly concerned by it.

“They would have expected a hard game, but instead they’ve had six shots in the first 20 minutes and taken the lead. They were now fancying it.

“We were far too passive at the start, especially coming off such a poor performance at Crewe the week before. It’s been a theme of our season, but we’ve generally got away it. That was never going to last. You can’t keep coming back into games. We need to start more aggressively and I will pick a team on Tuesday that reflects that.

“We were better in the second-half and after equalising late we went out to try and win the game, but we got caught by a sucker punch.

“We could have defended it better. Our wing-back hasn’t tucked in and our central midfielders get back to cover. We should have defended the cross better, but it was that opening period that really cost us. That set the tone for the game.”