Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson insists his side will “take a lot” from their latest narrow defeat to Birmingham City as they prepare for a Wembley rematch in Sunday’s Vertu Trophy final.
Blues sealed promotion to the Championship with a 2-1 victory over Ferguson’s men at the Weston Homes Stadium on Tuesday night — their second league win over Posh this season after a 3-2 triumph back in September.
Ferguson Eyes Revenge at Wembley
Despite Birmingham completing a League One double over Peterborough, Ferguson was upbeat in his post-match assessment, praising the response from his players following a poor weekend performance and targeting improvement ahead of Sunday’s showpiece.
“We will take a lot out of this going into Sunday. We’ve played them twice and lost by the odd goal. We were at it, we gave them a game… If we get our performances up to a certain level, we’re going to give anyone a game in this league.” – Darren Ferguson
Birmingham led through Alfie May’s glancing header from Taylor Gardner-Hickman’s cross in the 20th minute, but Peterborough responded well. Kwame Poku levelled the game with a thunderous finish, only for Gardner-Hickman to restore the Blues’ lead before half-time with a low drive that Nicholas Bilokapic couldn’t keep out.
Ferguson pointed to defensive errors for both Birmingham goals but was satisfied overall with the performance and intensity. “The goals were soft,” he admitted. “You’ve got to stop the cross, and if you don’t, you’ve got to mark.”
He also reserved praise for Poku, calling him “outstanding” on the night after his equaliser and all-round contribution.
Birmingham, meanwhile, are now looking to add silverware to their promotion-winning campaign. Chris Davies’ side head into Wembley full of confidence and in pursuit of a League One double in what has been a statement season for the second city club.
Writer’s View
Ferguson’s Posh may have been edged twice by Birmingham, but both meetings were fiercely competitive. With the stakes even higher on Sunday, don’t rule out Peterborough finding a response. While Davies’ Blues remain favourites, particularly on current form, cup finals are often decided by fine margins — and Ferguson clearly believes his team have more to give.
