Peterborough United will have nothing to fear if they repeat the battling qualities shown in Wrexham defeat

Although Posh were beaten on the road for the seventh time in eight games, they put on a much improved defensive display and came close to keeping a first League One clean sheet of the season before substitute Steven Fletcher claimed the only goal of the game for the hosts three minutes from time.

Ferguson watched the match, at the home of the club he played over 300 times for, after receiving a one-match touchline ban.

Despite being disappointed by the defeat, Ferguson said he was able to take many positives from a narrow defeat against a side who sit just two points off top spot in League One and have won 12 and drawn two of their 14 home League One games this season.

Posh did move down a place to 19th on Saturday courtesy of Northampton’s victory over Burton. Bristol Rovers in 20th also drew level with Posh on 25 points with victory away at Cambridge. The gap to the bottom four remains at five points as Crawley were beaten 3-0 at Barnsley.

Ferguson said: “I’m bitterly disappointed we’ve lost the game. There wasn’t anything in it and we went toe to toe with them. We competed really well with a powerful side. We had the best chance in the first half and how it’s not gone in I don’t know. it’s come off his Chris Conn Clarke’s leg and gone into the keeper’s hands.

“Unfortunately, and we’ve seen it many times, Wrexham managed to find a late goal to win it, something they’re very good at, but I was pleased generally with the performance. We’re a very good footballing team, everybody knows that. The way we play is not going to change. The important bit today is we had to play with our own style and personality because if they didn’t have the ball, they weren’t going to score.

“It was important we got control of the game and there were many periods where we had complete control without creating as many chances as I would like. Once we got the strikers running forward down the sides, it made a bit of a difference.

“It was a far, far stronger performance defensively. The two wing backs were excellent. The centre-halves headed balls and competed. It shouldn’t take this long for that to happen. If we’d have done that more often, we wouldn’t be in this position. It’s the bare minimum I require off my players. You’ve got to compete. If we hadn’t competed here we would have got absolutely hammered.

“Let’s hope it’s not a false dawn. If see these levels again, we will be fine as we’ve got enough quality. It is where we are at the moment unfortunately. It’s a game we didn’t deserve to lose and we have done. I’ve seen enough from my players. We didn’t deserve that, I feel for them. They’ve had a right go against a very good team with an unbelievable home record.”

Posh don’t play again in League One until January 18 when they host Leyton Orient. Their next match is away at Everton on Thursday (January 9) in the FA Cup. New signing Carl Johnston, who made his Posh debut as a right wing-back, is cup-tied for FA Cup and EFL Trophy games.