Daz-zling display as boss hits milestone

DARREN FERGUSON marked his landmark day in style as his Peterborough side saw off 10-man Birmingham.

Posh moved out of the Championship drop zone with a comfortable win and boss Ferguson spoke of his pride after taking charge for the 492nd time – more than any manager at the club.

He celebrated with a victory which was kick-started by Harlee Dean’s own-goal, then wrapped up with a Jonson Clarke-Harris penalty and a Jorge Grant strike.

Birmingham’s misery was complete when a reckless challenge from Gary Gardner on Nathan Thompson saw the Blues midfielder receive a straight red card in the 65th minute.

Ferguson passed Barry Fry’s record – and doesn’t think the new mark will be beaten.

He said: “It’s a proud moment because it’s not an easy thing to do, to manage that many games and surpass the legend that Barry is.

“Throughout my 34-year football career, this is the football club that has brought me the most success, it means a lot to me.

“It’s brought me so much joy, I think it’ll be a difficult record to break, it might be the one that lasts forever.”

But Birmingham boss Lee Bowyer bemoaned his side’s lack of energy.

He said: “It’s not acceptable, they had the extra day’s rest and it showed, they were first to every ball and they were sharper.

“We were a yard off everything, they played around us at times, we just couldn’t physically do everything that we’re good at.

“Three games in one week was is too much. We’ve got to recharge our batteries and try and out things right.” PETERBOROUGH: Cornell 7; Thompson

7, Edwards 7, Kent 7, Butler 7; Taylor 8 (Coventry (72nd) 6), Norburn 7, Grant 8 (Szmodics 83rd); Ward 7, Clarke-Harris

7, Dembele 9 (Burrows (82nd) BIRMINGHAM: Sarkic 6; Colin 5, Roberts 5 (Sanderson (46th) 6), Dean

5, Pedersen 5; Chong 6, Woods 5, Gardner 3, Bela 5 (Sunjic (46th) 6); Jutkiewicz 6 (Aneke (58th) 6), Deeney 6

Siriki Dembele

J Gillett