'Start like that in the play-offs and you could be done'- Darren Ferguson warns his Peterborough United players following slow start in Bolton draw

In the space of eight minutes on Saturday, Posh found themselves 2-0 down against Bolton at the Weston Homes Stadium thanks to a Kyle Dempsey header and a Dion Charles penalty.

Posh were excellent in the second-half though and went 3-2 up thanks to a Malik Mothersille double and a Joel Randall effort, but were pegged pack in the final stages by a Cameron Jerome goal.

Bit Posh boss Darren Ferguson warned his side, ahead of a play-off semi-final first leg at Oxford United next Saturday (May 4), that they can’t afford to start so slowly again.

Ferguson said: “We knew they would start aggressively. They had to try and unnerve Derby and it was the perfect start for them and the worst possible start for us.

“It couldn’t get any worse. You can’t start a game like that. You start a game like that in the play-offs and you’re done or could be done.

“We have to learn from it. It’s the perfect game today, in terms of showing them the first half compared to the second half, it was chalk and cheese. There was some good football in the first half and we had some good opportunities, against a very good team. At half time, I just said, if you don’t do the basic better and be more aggressive, then we’re going to get beaten

“In the second half, we were aggressive, we got after them and we won tackles. We were far, far better and when we play like that, we are a hard team to play against.

“I said it wouldn’t be 0-0, I knew there would be goals because of the way both teams play and in the end, I’m disappointed to not win it having gone 3-2 ahead with ten to go. It was a great advert for the league though.”

The match will also be remembered for the refereeing with Posh fans growing increasingly irate with the performance of Bobby Madley in the first half for failing to award a number of seemingly blatant fouls in Posh’s favour and allowing continual holding from the visiting defenders.

The officials were booed off at the break, but it was fourth official Scott Tallis that took the the field in the second half as Madley had suffered a pulled calf.

Tallis clamped down on the same actions from Bolton defenders, booking Josh Dacres-Cogley, George Thomason and Eoin Toal.

On the performance on the referees, Ferguson added: “I would have to watch it back. Some decisiona you’re going to get, some you’re not. The referee (Madley) did mention before the game about trying to not give yellow cards for the sake of it because of the play-offs.

“Some of them though… the right centre-half (Gethin Jones) has had six fouls in the first half. You’ve got to follow the letter of the law, if it’s a clear yellow, it’s a clear yellow, it doesn’t matter what game it is. There were clear yellows given in the second half.”