No time to waste for Peterborough United as Darren Ferguson looks to build momentum for the rest of the season

Peterborough United face Port Vale in the first match of Darren Ferguson's fourth spell on Monday. Photo: Joe Dent.

Darren Ferguson has told his Peterborough United players there is no time to wait to rediscover their form.

Posh travel to Port Vale on Monday (January 16) in Ferguson’s first game after his reappointment looking to turn around their fortunes.

Posh have slid down to ninth and are now five points outside of the play-offs and have played a game more than sixth-placed Barnsley. They have won just one of their last seven games but Ferguson wants to see his team consign those results to history and start to build momentum for a promotion push until the end of the season.

Speaking about the match Ferguson said: “I don’t want to talk about last season, I don't even really want to talk about the previous 24 games because we can’t change that.

"We have to hit the ground running by going to Port Vale and getting a win. If we can do that, it will will breed confidence- especially for the away form, which has been so poor. It will also breed confidence for the next match.

" When you get to 22 games left, you have to build momentum for the last third of the season. We haven’t got time to wait. The players have the responsibility to perform on the day.”

Port Vale are enjoying an excellent season after winning promotion by beating Mansfield in the League Two play-off final last season.

Darrell Clarke’s side sit level on points with Posh, behind in tenth on goal difference. In contrast to Posh, they have won four of their last seven- including becoming the first side to take points off leaders Plymouth at Home Park with a 2-0 win.

Ferguson added: “They have had a really good season. Darrell has done a great job there. They are very aggressive, especially at home, they get after you on the front foot.

"It’s going to be a really tough game, they’ve got some really good players in their team. It’s always tough when you go there but given the form they’re in and the form we’re in, we have to get control of the game quickly.

“I’ve said to the players, if we can do that then we can cause them problems.”

Clarke has seen his odds shortened to become the new Portsmouth manager in recent days but is expected to still be in charge of the Valiants for Monday’s fixture.

Former Milton Keynes boss Liam Manning has also been heavily linked with the Pompey vacancy.