The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Evans says his team will soon be back in the top six
Peterborough United manaber Steve Evans predicts his team’s departure from theLeague One play-off places will be temporary.
Posh dropped out of the top six for the first time this season when losing 2-0 at home to struggling Scunthorpe on New Year’s Day.
The disappointment in the result and performance was increased because it followed a terrific 4-0 win at Accrington Stanley on Saturday.
Posh are now seventh, but just two points behind fourthplaced Barnsley. Posh have a break from League One action until January 12 as they prepare for an FA Cup third round tie at Middlesbrough on Saturday and a third round Checkatrade Trophy game against Chelsea Under 21s at Stamford Bridge on January 9.
“We will be back in the top six soon enough,” Evans said.
“If we beat Rochdale and Barnsley lose their next game we could even be back in fourth and both of those results are very possible.
“Obviously we are disap- pointed to drop out of the top six for the first time this season, but it’s the position at the end of the season that matters.
“There’s no way we won’t be challenging as long as we sort our home form out and get the players some help by strengthening the squad.
“Our New Year’s Day performance was baffling. We prepared in exactly the same way for that game as we had for the Accrington match. We had the same players in the same positions and yet we delivered two vastly different performances.
“We were excellent at Accrington from one to 11. Against Scunthorpe we started sloppily, made two horrible individual errors to gift them goals and never looked like getting back into the game.
“Having such a poor home record brings pressure with it and we are not coping well enough.
“I told the players before the game we would be fourth if we beat Scunthorpe as I fancied Barnsley wouldn’t win at Luton, but it obviously didn’t sink in. The best teams respond to a good performance by trying to deliver an even better one. It’s what Portsmouth have been doing all season.
“To be fair to the fans they have been very patient with us. There was a smattering of boos after the Scunthorpe game, but nothing dramatic.
“I feel most Posh fans are judging us on our overall form and they see a team put together in the summer sitting within two points of fourth place.
“But we won’t finish in the top six if we don’t improve at the ABAX Stadium. That is obvious. I see what the fans see.”