Peterborough United need help with 'obvious deficiencies' at the back admits Darren Ferguson after high-scoring win over Crawley

The Posh defence has now been breached 35 times in 19 League One matches this season - only bottom side Shrewsbury have conceded more (39) - but despite this, Ferguson’s men were able to dig out a 4-3 victory to stop a run of three defeats in a row.

It was far from plain-sailing for Posh though, who led 2-0 and 3-1 - thanks to Ricky-Jade Jones, Cian Hayes and Hector Kyprianou - before being pegged back to 3-3. Hayes then netted his second match to seal victory following a sublime Malik Mothersille pass. Ferguson told the press after the match that Mothersille was ‘very lucky’ as he has about to be taken off at the time of the assist.

Posh have risen to 13th in the table, five points clear of Crawley in the final relegation place, but Ferguson admitted he could sense he’s team’s frailties when they conceded and that his squad would need help to address it.

Ferguson said: “It was obviously very disappointing to concede two goals in three minutes in the second half and it’s not the first time it has happened. Everyone can see our deficiencies and it is really affecting our confidence. I have to keep working with them though as what else can I do?

“Everyone has seen it and the players are feeling it. The reaction of the players when we conceded the second was ‘here we go again.’ That’s why we conceded again so quickly. At that point, we managed to dig it out when I’ve seen many a team go under at the point. If someone had said to me this morning that we were going to win 4-3, I would have taken it.

“We just can’t see off teams though. We were 2-0 up and Ricky went clean through to make it 3-0. It’s a good save, but perhaps he should do better and score We were in complete control and then we make a mistake like we did to concede. We got it through to half time and we then started the second-half well. Hector scores and then we were in complete control again. We should have scored, a fourth but we conceded and I could see the reaction of the players to that.

“After 19 games, one thing I know about this team at the moment is that you’re never in control. We get to 2-1 and 3-1 and it became a bit of a mess. Until, we can get a bit of help for them, we have got what we’ve got. We have to get on with it. We’re going to just have to outscore teams.

“I have to give them credit for getting the win because at 3-3, most people would be thinking we were in trouble. The subs did well and brought an energy we didn’t have. Thankfully, we managed to dig it out.”

Young left-back Harley Mills was brought into the matchday squad in place of Sam Curtis and came on for his first league appearance for the club this season with 63 minutes gone.

Ferguson would not be drawn on the future of the 18-year-old Sheffield United loanee, but did admit that arrivals in January would have to mean departures as well.

Ferguson said: “Sam has been on the bench and I knew I had Jadel as right back cover and George as a centre half as well as Harley for a bit more balance. Sam can play at left back, but we haven’t got the balance then. Harley Mills did really well out on loan and he is, without a shadow of doubt, pushing Jack Sparkes

“We’ve got to look at situations if I’m going to be getting players in. I’m not saying Sam is going anywhere but if we’re getting players in, I’ve got to get players out, it’s as simple as that.”

Posh host Northampton Town on Tuesday night in the last 32 of the EFL Trophy travelling to play-off chasing Stockport for a League One fixture on Friday (December 21).