Posh are on the up thanks to their great festive form

Darren Ferguson saluted his Posh players for delivering a superb run of results in a hectic festive fixture list. Posh beat Barnsley 2- 1 at London Road on New Year’s Day to make it four wins from the last five Championship matches.

Posh were bottom of the Championship table at the start of that run, but they have nowmovedoutoftherelegation zone for the first time since the end of October.

Ferguson said: “I knew we had to go on a run to even give us a chance of getting out of trouble.

“Andtodeliver it against the quality of teams we have had to face is a great effort by my players.

“All credit to them because this time of year is tiring physically and mentally, but all we have done so far is give ourselves a chance.

“It’s pleasing that we are out of the relegation zone, but I don’t really take that much notice of league positions at this time of the season.

“For me right now it’s all about points and for us to have 25 points after 26 games when we lost our first seven matches is very satisfying.

“We still need another eight wins from 20 matches to get to my safety target and that won’t be easy, but considering the start we had, we are now in a decent position. I never doubted the character orability in thesquad and they have proved me right in recent weeks.”

The only setback in the recent Posh run was last Saturday’s 4- 2 defeat at Bristol City when Ferguson’s men were 1- 0 down and a mandowninside 11 minutes as Lee Tomlin was dismissed.

Posh didn’t play at all well againstBarnsleyeither, butFerguson was impressed with his side’s resolve and spirit.

Ferguson added: “I’ve seen us win games against Cardiff and Bolton by playing fantastic football and now I’ve seen us win a gamebydigging in and fighting.

“My three centre- backs ( Shaun Brisley, Gaby Zakuani and Michael Bostwick) were magnificent against Barnsley and they had to be as we couldn’t get out of our own half in the second- half. I would have been happy with a draw the way the secondhalf panned out, but the boys drove forward one more timeandpinchedalatewinner.

“It wasn’t the best of performances, but it was a huge win for us.”

Defeats for relegation rivals Bristol City and Sheffield WednesdayhelpedliftPoshout of the bottom three.

They are now in 21st place, aheadofWednesdayongoaldifference.

Posh are next in Championship action at Nottingham Forest on January 12.