Peterborough United manager praises the commitment of his players, but bemoans a lack of composure in front of goal after a failure to beat struggling opponents

Posh carved out numerous opportunities against a team who had lost their previous five competitive games, but lacked the composure, on another difficult playing surface, to beat former London Road ‘keeper Joe Day.

The point left Posh in third place at the halfway point of their League One season, just two points behind second-placed Hull with a game in hand, but other promotion rivals Doncaster, Sunderland and Charlton all won tonight to move closer to Ferguson’s side.

“It was just one of those nights for us,” Ferguson said. “We started the game ever so well and created three or four good chances in the opening 10 minutes. Jonson (Clarke-Harris) had a really good one that the ‘keeper has saved with his legs.

“We started exactly how I wanted us too, on the front foot. We just lacked a bit of composure at times, everything was a bit frenetic.

“It felt like we thought we had to score with every attack when we just needed to keep the ball better and build up our attacks rather than going hell for leather every time.

“I know they hit the post, but that was pretty much it. They didn’t really cause us many problems at all. In fact I think Christy Pym has had one save to make in the entire 90 minutes and that was the same on Saturday.

“I said at half-time, we needed to be aggressive and yet be composed in the final third, while staying disciplined at the back and to be fair we continued to create the better opportunities. The best chance fell to Siriki, but even when he has gone around the keeper, he is fighting the surface a little bit.

“It was really tough going on that pitch so credit to my players because they gave us everything. Their commitment was fantastic and they kept going right to the end.

“Our subs made an impact and you know what, throughout my managerial career, and also my playing career, I have seen games like that go against you and you concede late.

“But we were the stronger side right to the death. We pick up a point, we take that, it keeps the run going and we go onto the next one.”

Posh are now unbeaten in seven League One games ahead of a tricky trip to Shrewsbury on Saturday (January 30).