Darren Ferguson ready to play 'completely different' Peterborough United team against Cheltenham after Derby County make no mistake in automatic promotion race

Posh were 2-0 victors at Bristol Rovers on Saturday, but saw their automatic promotion hopes all but ended as second-placed Derby picked up a 1-0 win away at Cambridge.

Posh trail the Rams by six points and must create a nine-goal swing as well as win two matches to overhaul them. Derby must also lose at home to rock-bottom Carlisle United on the final of the season (April 27)

Third-placed Bolton beat Port Vale 2-0 today. Posh can draw level on points with The Trotters by winning at Cheltenham and they then play them at the Weston Homes Stadium next Saturday.

Posh can’t finish lower than fourth now this guaranteeing a home game in the second leg of their play-off semi-final.

And Ferguson confirmed that he sees the trip to Cheltenham as the only opportunity he now has to get rest into his key man. Regular starters Ephron Mason-Clark and Jadel Katongo were to the bench on Saturday, while Kwake Poku missed out on the squad after being seen wearing a protective boot at the club’s awards night on Wednesday night.

James Dornelly was handed a Football League debut in place of Katongo at right-back.

Ferguson said: “Ephron and Jadel needed a break. I wanted to give James Dornelly a game and I wanted Jonson Clarke-Harris to play because of him coming back here, and after what he did on Tuesday night, he deserved a chance.

"Tuesday will be a completely different team. I’ll be freshening the whole team up because that’ll be the only opportunity I’ve got to do it.

"We’ve had a lot of games, I wasn’t going to risk anyone today, but had to be ready to take advantage if Derby had slipped up.

"They’ve done their job though and we’ve got today out of the way and done our job to get the home leg of the semi-final second. Now I can rest all of the players that have been playing regularly at Cheltenham. It’ll be a completely different team.”

Posh secured victory at the Memorial Stadium thanks to goals from Joel Randall and Ricky-Jade Jones.

Ferguson was pleased with his side’s improved defensive display and full of praise for Dornelly.

Ferguson added: “I enjoyed the performance a lot. I was really pleased with the players.“We put a lot of work into the game, including out of possession; being more compact and more solid. The players did it to a tee. We were really well organised.

“If we get clean sheets, we are going to get promoted, it’s as simple as that.

“We had a good meeting on Friday where we said we need to stop giving up so many chances and be more connected as a team. We were outstanding as a team in that respect today.

“They had one shot I can remember, a couple of things, but no clearcut chances. After the first ten minutes, we got control and some of our football was outstanding.

“The two wides players, Malik Mothersille and David Ajiboye, were giving them a big problem.

“Towards the last 20 minutes, they were getting a little too much control so I brought on the fresh legs with pace.

“In the second half, we didn’t play forward as much, but the tempo of the game died a bit. It was very hot.

“James is a very good player. I had no issue playing him. It’s just a pity he’s been injured otherwise he’d have been seen earlier. The temperament he’s got is fantastic. Nothing bothers him. I was delighted with his performance.

“After an hour, he tired and Jadel come on. He took a knock, but he’ll be okay. It was just knee on knee. James very very good, he was up against a very good player in Scott Sinclair. He handled the ball well, he’s got good composure and defended well when he had to.

“Regardless of what league we are in, James is a big part of what we want to do. He’ll play again on Tuesday.”

Due to Burton’s victory over Reading on Saturday, coupled with Cheltenham’s 2-1 defeat at home to Lincoln, it means Cheltenham must beat Posh on Tuesday night or they will be relegated.