Peterborough United boss backs under-fire goalkeeper and explains his use of substitutes in the frustrating draw at Wycombe, strong team to play at stadium:mk

Pym has come under fire in recent games and Ferguson felt he should have saved Wycombe’s crucial first goal in a 3-3 League One draw at Adams Park on Saturday (October 5).

Pym, who was signed by Ferguson on a free transfer from Exeter in the summer, also blundered badly for a goal scored by AFC Wimbledon in the previous League One match.

But Ferguson intends to stand by his man, certainly for Saturday’s eagerly-awaited match against Lincoln City at the Weston Homes Stadium (October 12).

“I certainly haven’t lost confidence in Christy,” Ferguson told the Peterborough Telegraph today (October 7). “he is a very good goalkeeper who has made a couple of mistakes recently.

“I did tell him I thought he should have saved the first goal at Wycombe, but he wasn’t helped by a defence that sat too deep and who then failed to win a header from a set-piece.

“But Christy has also kept six clean sheets this season which is a very good record. What we must do better is protect him better especially in the situation we found ourselves in on Saturday when we kept letting high balls come into our penalty area.

“Christy knows he needs to cut the mistakes out and he will. He will certainly play against Lincoln.”

Ferguson also explained his substitutions in the game at Wycombe. Dan Butler was sent on in the 89th minute at Wycombe as a straight swap for left-back Frazer Blake-Tracy and conceded the last-gasp penalty which provided the home side’s equaliser.

Star man Marcus Maddison was replaced after an hour by Serhat Tasdemire.

“I would never normally change a defender in the final minute of a game,” Ferguson added. “But Frazer was cramping up badly and couldn’t carry on. If anything I left him on too long. I don’t blame Dan, who did well in his short time on the pitch, in any way for the penalty as we had two chances to clear the ball before he became involved.

“I said straight after the game it was nailed-on penalty by which I meant I expected it to be given because of the circumstances of the game. It probably wasn’t a foul, but I’d have expected it to be awarded in our favour.

“Marcus was taken off because I felt he was likely to get sent off. He was angry as he felt three fouls on him in the second-half weren’t given.”

Posh have a reserve team fixture at MK Dons tomorrow (October 8) when the team that beat Arsenal Under 21s in the Leasing.com Trophy last week is expected to play, with the exception of Pym.