Peterborough United boss Luke Williams was delighted to see the intensity back in his side’s play in a ‘gritty’ win over Reading on Tuesday night.
Posh put an end to their four-game losing run with a 2-1 win at the Select Car Leasing Stadium with goals either side of the break from Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Harry Leonard.
Williams’ side were not able to climb out of the bottom four, however, due to Exeter’s win over Wimbledon. Posh are a point from safety but know that victory in Saturday’s Nene Derby will almost certainly take them out of the bottom four for the first time this season.
Williams was left pleased with the aggression of his players and how each one of them stood up to be counted to get the victory across the line.
He said: “It was a very gritty win and not the easiest or most beautiful game but we started with a real intensity and scored very early, that gave us a good feeling.
“For a lot of the game, we had to be tough, do a lot of hard running and compete for a lot of first and second balls. There is no doubt we deserved to win the game and we made a couple of big openings we didn’t capitalise on.
“We approached the game in a really good way and came out quickly with aggression. There were a lot of bodies in the box desperate to score a goal, we were bright and on the front foot. That has pleased me a lot. The energy and the work rate pleased me a lot too.
“The lads didn’t deserve to concede the goal in the way we did in the second half. They played so tough, concentrated and defended the box so well. They didn’t deserve that.
“That goal gave Reading a boost and got the crowd behind them but the players weathered the storm and that really pleased me. It is a good team that can play on the front foot and withstand pressure.
“There was some good professional calm heads at the end. There is a corner right at the death and to see your keeper just catch it is one of the nicest feelings in football. Other than that, we managed to control the game and not let it slip away from us.
“I am proud of the group and happy for them. No one was out there strolling around or sulking about things. Everyone stood up to be counted and put in a shift for each other.
“We are so pleased with the away following too. We knew they were there because we could hear them throughout. I’m really happy that Harry’s goal went in at their end. That was something they can really enjoy on the way home. Harry is a really talented boy and we need to give him a lot more opportunities to tap the ball in.
“The thing we can take from this is that consistency will give us a chance of finishing in a strong position. It is that inconsistency that is the hallmark of the league as a whole.”
Posh host rivals Northampton in the Nene Derby on Saturday (November 13). Victory would not only almost certainly see Posh escape the bottom four but also close the gap between the sides to just two points.
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