Peterborough United manager admits play-offs dream is hanging by a thread

Fleetwood substitute Ashley Hunter struck in the final minute after Posh made a rare defensive blunder. Centre-back Rhys Bennett headed an aimless long ball out of play unnecessarily and Fleetwood scored from the long throw.

Posh had led through Marcus Maddison’s fourth goal in four games, but he also saw a weak first-half penalty saved. Posh also struck the crossbar twice, but a run of three straight wins and three clean sheets came to an ill-timed end.

Posh are four points behind Doncaster who sit in the last play-off place. Doncaster lost 2-0 at Sunderland so a win for Posh would have left their destiny in their own hands.

“The reality is the result is not good enough for us,” Ferguson said. “We really had to win today and against Sunderland on Monday and I felt we could do that.

“I now face a big task in picking the players up as that was physically and mentally tough to take today.

“It hurts because the goal we conceded was completely avoidable. There was no danger to us, but we head the ball out of play knowing they have a lad with a good long throw. There was no communication, our lad just needed to be told not to head it.

“But the game should have been done and dusted by then. The chances we’ve missed at 1-0 have proved costly.

“It’s very damaging. We can still do it, but we will have to win all four matches to have any chance.

“We were the better team. We had all the chances. We were very comfortably defensively until the last moments.”

Posh centre-back Ryan Tafazolli pulled out of the game after the pre-match warm-up, but Ferguson was pleased with on-loan Josh Knight’s performance as his replacement.

Posh expect their biggest home crowd of the season when Sunderland visit the ABAX Stadium on Easter Monday (April 22, 3pm).