Peterborough United manager insists recent results will have no bearing on the outcome of a play-off semi-final at Oxford United

Posh return to the scene of their heaviest defeat of the season on Saturday (7.45pm kick off) as Oxford thrashed Posh 5-0 at the Kassam Stadium just over a fortnight ago.

It was a handsome win for the home side, one picked up without the help of key players Elliott Moore and Cameron Brannagan, although Posh were playing their third game in six days which included an emotional EFL Trophy Final win at Wembley.

Ferguson and his captain Harrison Burrows apologised to the travelling fans after a dismal display,

Ferguson is also expecting questions to be asked re last season’s play-off semi-final when they surrendered a 4-0 first-leg lead to Sheffield Wednesday before bowing out on penalties after a 5-1 hammering at Hillsborough.

"Past matches won’t mean a thing on Saturday,” Ferguson insisted. “Certainly last season’s play-off match is irrelevant as I doubt that will happen again to any club at any time. Hillsborough was a unique experience for us. I’ve never known an atmosphere like the one we faced up there and we didn’t cope with it. It was a freak result though and we didn’t have much luck, but we won’t be thinking about that on Saturday or the recent game at Oxford.

"I watched the Oxford game back the other day and we were actually in control for the first 15 minutes, but we then gifted them two goals and we ended up losing heavily. They had a lot of energy that day and we didn’t have any after a long week. They were very good and we deserved to lose. These things can happen, but I can’t see us performing as badly as that again.

"We played very well against them at our place earlier in the season (a 3-0 Posh win), but the play-offs are different. The previous games won’t count for anything.

"Oxford are a very good side though with very talented players and it will be a tough game for sure. Moore and Brannagan are two of their most experienced players and I’m sure they will play this time, but we just have to make sure we get our performance spot on.

"It’s nothing to do with wanting revenge. It’s just a big game we want perform well in and win."