Darren Ferguson On Today's Match

Last updated : 21 October 2008 By Thetashkentterror

Darren Ferguson
Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson spoke to BBC Radio Cambridgeshire about his side's 3-3 draw at Brunton Park this afternoon, Ferguson suggesting that Posh striker Craig Mackail-Smith had enough chances to win the game on his own for the visitors :


" I don't know how to feel to be honest, I don't know whether to feel relieved, I suppose I should at 3-2 down with a minute to go, some of the chances though, Jesus. We started the game really poorly and I warned the lads that even though Carlisle had been on a bad run it is a hard place to come this, and I didn't want them to get any impetus on the game. That is exactly what happened though, it was really coming the goal and I was just thankful that it was only 1-0.

" Then Charlie (Lee) has got us out of a bit of a hole, and then for ten minutes we were the better team. We played for ten minutes in the first-half and I just said to them that Charlie had probably stopped perhaps a couple of changes at half-time. I felt that if we got on top of them, I could feel the atmosphere going a little bit and they are a team that have been on a bad run and their confidence is a little bit fragile.

" Five minutes though, I don't even know if it was five minutes, two goals and 3-1 down, but even then I knew that we weren't out of the game. I knew that we would get chances, on the second goal big Joe (Lewis) has made a mistake but he knows that himself. Then the third goal we were all over the place, but then Craig (Mackail-Smith's) penalty gets us back in the game and at that point I thought that we would win it, we should have really, Craig has had four one-on-ones again.

" To be fair to the lad he just never gives up and a lot of people would have hidden. I've no doubt about that, but he keeps getting in there, he got his reward I suppose in the end and we have got a draw. Which is a good point because it is a difficult place to come regardless of what form Carlisle are in or whatever, they have got some very good players. So in that sense it is a good point but also the frustration of thinking that we could have got three. "



" I can't fault Craig for effort but his ratio in terms of percentage of chances against those scored has got to get better. He knows that himself though and we work on it every single day, but he does keep getting in there and he is a nuisance and I know that defenders don't really enjoy playing against him. So credit to him for that but the key point for me was the chance straight after half-time, if he scores that then I think that we go on to win.

" Changes have got to be made during the game and obviously it was 2-1 and I was thinking of making the changes, then it was 3-1 and it forces my hand. I brought Shane (Blackett) on for Tom (Williams), I took Hydey (Micah Hyde) and put Charlie (Lee) into the midfield and brought Morgs (Craig Morgan) back on. That definitely made a difference, Charlie was very good in both the defence and the midfield and he was a real driving force.

" Then Boydey (George Boyd) was playing in a kind of free role and I thought that he was absolutely magnificent today the lad, an absolute pleasure to watch he was. He caused them all sorts of problems just playing off the front and then Aaron (McLean) coming on, so we had different permutations and we are an attack-minded team. The concentration though, even though we have gone 3-1 down, we still pretty good at the back, like I say though, 3-2 down with seconds to go then you take a point.

" I wish that I hadn't put him (Shane Blackett) on, not that it was my fault that he got injured but I wish that I hadn't put him on, I really feel for the boy. The shoulder has gone again, we are going to have to take him to hospital now and the problem now is that they are going to have to pin it, so it is going to be three or four months I would say. I really feel for the lad because he has just got back fit and he isn't 100% but Jamie Day is out for the season. I spoke to Shane at length and he wanted to be involved, but there was an element of risk of that happening again, and I really feel for the lad.

" A couple of difficult home matches now, Brighton and Huddersfield. Five minutes, probably the first 25 minutes of the game and five minutes into the second-half has cost us the game, no doubt about that. If Craig scores at 1-1 right after half-time then we go on and win, I am pretty certain of that but it was always going to be a tough couple of away games, Walsall and Carlisle. We have got four points out of it so we can't be too disappointed. "