Peterborough United boss rues 'missed opportunity' against Exeter City, but praises his side's fightback
Peterborough United boss Luke Williams was disappointed his side missed a great opportunity to pick up three League One points at home to Exeter City on Saturday.
Teenage debutant Patryk Sykut put Posh ahead with a wonderful finish in the first half, but the hosts were punished for a slow start to the second half by a nine minute Jayden Wareham hat-trick. Posh did manage to battle back to rescue a point thanks to a Harry Leonard double, but Williams still felt frustrated at the final whistle.
The defeat saw Posh slip to 12th, seven points behind Huddersfield in the final play-off place, but the gap to the bottom four is now 11 points.
Williams was irritated with his side’s lack of intensity, which he had warned them about at the break, but also pleased with the character to fightback and create opportunities to win the match.
Williams said: “It’s quite disappointing in some ways and quite pleasing in others. We controlled most of the first half and made the breakthrough, but the beginning of the second half was really quite poor in terms of lacking intensity and concentration. It’s very, very disappointing. After that, the fightback is really pleasing, but it feels like a wasted opportunity.
“The scales turned massively in their favour in those opening stages of the second half and they hit us very quickly. We made a change, but this isn’t about formations or tactics, it’s about application.
"We didn’t appear correct in the second half. In the closing minutes of the first half we were also lacking intensity and that’s what we spoke about at half time.
“But it took conceding three goals to shock us back into life and I need to give credit to the players for not going under and fighting back. It looked like we might be able to win the game at the end.
"It’s a bit too early to give up on the play-offs. We have to start winning games again quickly, but we are very optimistic and we are driven to make a challenge so we will keep going.”
Posh’s next match is the Nene Derby against Northampton Town at Sixfields next Saturday (February 28). Posh are currently 11 points clear of the Cobblers in 22nd place. Cobblers lost 2-1 at home to relegation rivals Leyton Orient on Saturday. They host bottom club Port Vale on Tuesday (February 24).