Peterborough United to profit from 'really good workout' during Derby County defeat

Posh were eventually beaten 2-1 by the Championship club at St George's Park, having taken an early lead through Siriki Dembele.

Goals from Louie Sibley and Josh Shonibare gave Derby the victory, but Posh were always in the game.

And Ferguson said: "It was excellent - really, really good for the players who played in it.

"We've got 90 minutes for all the players over the past couple of days and that was important.

"We played against a really good team that are very good in possession.

"In terms of a different kind of exercise for us, it was very good.

"In all of the games up to now we've had a larger part of the possession so that's why we get these games because we need to be tested in different ways and we got that today.

"We wanted to press from the front and the goal typified that.

"We have to pick our moments in the formation but when we did press high we did it very well, especially in the first half.

"The second half went a little bit how I thought because they brought a new set of players on whereas we were giving lads their first 90 minutes.

"We had one or two openings and we probably didn't create as much as I'd have liked in the second half.

"When you win the ball back against these teams, you've got to be good enough to keep it and move it quickly, but this was a great exercise for us."