The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
LET’S DO A COMPLETE JOB
Grant McCann has called on his players to deliver a complete 90-minute performance to claim derby glory this Saturday.
The Posh boss takes his side to fierce rivals MKDons (3pm) and insists there is no room for a repeat of the slow starts which have blighted them in the early weeks of this season.
Instead he wants his men to pickup from where they left off after arousing second-half display during their EFL Cup exit at the hands of Swansea City on Tuesday night.
Posh were beaten 3-1 by the Premier League side with the damage being done in the opening half.
McCann said: “All the lads have been made aware of how big the games are between Posh and MK Dons.
“It’s going to be tough again state am who have started the season pretty well after coming down, but everyone will expect us to go there and give our all, and that is exactly what we’ll do.
“It’s an occasion that will hopefully suit us well with a good pitch and a big crowd, but we can’t afford to start another game poorly.
“The only time we’ve really begun brightly this season was the win at home to Millwall and it is a great feeling to get into a big lead as we did that night.
“It’s certainly better than having to come out for the second half after a few strong words from a manager.”
Posh then begin their Football League Trophy challenge when hosting Norwich Under 23s on Tuesday (7.30pm).
Club legend Mark Tyler is ready to sample the buzz of a Posh derby fixture for the first time in more than eight years.
Tyler is on stand- by for a mouthwatering trip to MK Dons this Saturday after stepping in at short notice for the m id week EFLC up exit against Swansea.
The 39 year-old made a series of impressive saves against the Premier League side after being pressed into action for the first time this season following a hamstring injury to number one Ben Alnwick in the warm-up.
Tyler last appeared for Posh against MK Dons back in a 2-1 home defeat in December ,2007.
He had been replaced as number one by Joe Lewis by the time the two sides met again later in a League Two season in which both were promoted.
Fresh from his 490th appearance in Posh colours on Tuesday night, Tyler said: “I prepare for every game as if I’m going to play in it, so it wasn’t an issue to step in late on against Swansea.
“Playing football has been my job for so many years and I love to be involved in any game, but it would be great to play in a derby.
“I’ ve not played in too many of the games a gainst MK Dons and I’ve never played at stadium:mk.
“As an older Posh guy, Northampton is still the main derby for me, but we also know how important it is for the fans that we get a result on Saturday.
“No-one likes to lose any game of football, especially a big derby game, and we’ll be working very hard in training to put a few of the things right before going there full of confidence.”
Central defender Jack Baldwin is available to return against MK Dons after sitting out the EFL Cup exit against Swansea in midweek due to suspension.
Baldwin was dismissed for collecting a second caution when conceding the stop page time penalty that led to a 2-1 defeat at Oxford United last Saturday.
But boss Grant McCann said that summer signing Ryan Tafazolli faces at least another week out after a scan revealed there is still a tear in his hamstring.