Fergie the third!

Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson has told his players to put the blinkers on for the rest of the League One season.

Ferguson believes his players do have their destiny in their own hands this season, even if that mathematically isn’t the case.

After losing 2-1 at home to Coventry last weekend, Posh dropped to eighth place, two places and two points outside the play-off places.

But Ferguson insists his side can emerge from a long run of poor form to make a strong challenge for a top six finish, providing they ignore what’s going on around them in the rest of the division.

“We have to put our own house in order first and foremost,” Ferguson said. “We can’t look at who the other teams are playing and try and work out if they’ll win or not.

“We have to start winning again. If we do that regularly we will have as good a chance as anyone of reaching sixth place.

“We’ve been on a terrible run of form for a long time, but Doncaster haven’t won in six matches and they and Coventry will drop points before the end of the season.

“I don’t blame anyone for writing us off. We have won five of our last 22 matches and that’s relegation form not promotion form.

“I suspect many of our own fans don’t give us a prayer of finishing in a play-off place and I can understand that.

“But the reality is we are very much in the thick of the play-off race.

“I was disappointed by the manner of the Coventry defeat. Teams lose games all the time, but there is a way to lose and that wasn’t it. We played well in the first-half. Their goalkeeper has made some good saves and we could easily have scored a couple of goals before we fell behind.

“But our reaction to falling behind was poor and our reactio to conceding a second goal soon after was worrying.

“There was still 40 minutes which is plenty of time to get back into a game, but, and not for the first time this season, we became very ragged and Coventry ran out worthy winners. They picked us off at times in that second half.

“We lacked the fight, the character and the leaders to get us back into the game. I saw things out there that concerned me. I’m learning about the players all the time.

”Successful teams are strong physically and mentally and clearly we are struggling in that respect. That comes from within.”

Ferguson admits he’s been embarrassed by Posh results since he returned to the club at the end of January.

Since then Posh have won two, drawn one and lost six of nine League One matches. Relegation candidates Bradford City, AFC Wimbledon, Plymouth and Shrewsbury are among the teams to have beaten Posh during that run.

“I’m embarrassed by the results since I’ve been back,” Ferguson added. “It’s two wins in nine games and that’s not what I expected at all. So many red cards and a couple of poor decisions haven’t helped, but losing the last three matches has been a big blow.

“We played well at times in the first-half at Bradford and in the second-half at Wimbledon, but didn’t take advantage of our possession. Against Coventry we started on the front foot, but again couldn’t make it count.

“We have to become more ruthless in both penalty areas.”

Striker Mathew Stevens continues to knock on the first-team door. He scored twice as Posh Reserves drew 4-4 with Bristol Rovers Reserves this week.

George Cooper and under 16 player Connor Peters also scored, but Posh threw away a 4-1 half-time lead even though young goalkeeper Josh Allen saved a penalty.

Darren Ferguson is demanding a positive reaction after another Posh defeat.

Posh centre-back Ryan Tafazolli missed the Coventry game because of illness.

Ferguson: “I wouldn’t blame anyone for writing us off.”

Amadou Bakayoko has just fired Coventry in front against Posh.

Matt Godden on the ball for Posh against Coventry.