Peterborough United boss insists the hammering by Sheffield United must be a watershed moment for his team, and he expects an immediate response at Reading

Posh conceded six goals in a match for the first time since March, 2010 at Bramall Lane. It was also the first time a side managed by Ferguson had let in six goals in a game.

Ferguson now expects a response from his players in tonight’s match against Reading at the Madejski Stadium (September 14, 8pm). The Royals have also started the season slowly and sit just above Posh in the table on goal difference.

“It was a tough watch in the second-half at Sheffield United, ” Ferguson admitted. “We were right in the game and doing okay until we let the second goal, but the response we delivered after that cannot be repeated.

“The game has to be a watershed moment for us. We must park it and never go back to it. We will take our medicine and move on. We knew it would be a tough game against a very good side, but we let too many crosses into our box and we lost too many contacts in the penalty area. Those sort of things have to be addressed.

“We just need a performance tonight. That is vital. We started Preston’s season off by losing up there and we have now started Sheffield United’s season off. We can’t afford to do it again with Reading who have also not started as well as they would have wanted.

“My job since Saturday has been to anlayse what went on, to pick the players back up and make it as easy as I can for them to understand the formation I want to play and how I want us to play on Reading’s big pitch. They can then just go on the field and do their jobs.

“Sometimes I can overload the players with information which is just the way I coach. I give them too much to think about so I have simplified it for tonight.”

Experienced defender Nathan Thompson is expected to return to the Posh starting line-up tonight, while midfielder Jack Taylor could make his first start of the season.