Was the Posh manager the real man of the match?

There’s more to this management lark than picking a team and formation.

Reacting positively to events as difficulties unfold is a decent skill to have as well and the multiple-promotion winner in charge of Posh showed his worth against Derby County.

The visitors were so dominant in the first-half thanks to an aggressive press and subsequent control of midfield areas, Ferguson was forced to change formation after 30 minutes and make two half-time substitutions.

And the transformation was remarkable. Posh went from supine to superb and overpowered a play-off rival in such style wistful thoughts of a Wembley return in May became commonplace.

Keeping feet on the ground is another managerial quality and rest assured Ferguson will be talking to the players about that.

His team have not yet reached the play-off places and they possess one of the trickest run-ins of the contenders.

Posh survived a torrid first-half as Derby failed to make use of their ball domination. An error from Josh Knight set up their best opportunity, but home ‘keeper Will Norris stood tall to thwart Conor Hourihane.

Norris did well to defy Spurs loanee Harvey White from distance at the start of the second-half, but there had already been signs of Posh flexing their muscles.

Jack Taylor’s drive from midfield created the opening goal for Ephron MasonClark on 52 minutes and Nathanael Ogbeta’s tap-in eight minutes from time, after substitute Kwame Poku’s shot had been saved, sealed the points.

In between Derby ‘keeper Joe Wildsmith tipped a Taylor shot onto the crossbar and the number one also bravely thwarted Jonson Clarke-Harris.

Derby did have a reasonable penalty claim turned down after Frankie Kent challenged White, but the points ended up where they deserved.

MATCH FACTS Posh goals: Mason-Clark (52), Ogbeta (82).

Posh cautions: Kent, B. Thompson, Taylor. Attendance: 12,060 (3,719 Derby).

Posh skipper Jonson Clarke-Harris is denied by Derby goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith.