Peterborough boss admits his side were clinging on after Bristol Rovers fightback in victory

Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson has admitted that his side were clinging on in the latter stages of their 3-2 victory over Bristol Rovers on Saturday having dominated the majority of the game prior to the Gas' fightback.

The hosts were by far the better team of the first half as goals from Kwame Poku and Ricky-Jade Jones put Posh in a comfortable position before Malik Mothersille netted their third in the 63rd minute.

However, in a flash Rovers eroded the deficit to just one goal thanks to efforts from substitutes Luke McCormick and Gatlin O'Donkor a minute apart from each other and should have equalised with Shaq Forde denied by goalkeeper Jed Steer.

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They couldn't find a third goal which would have arguably given Matt Taylor's side more than they deserved on the back of their first half performance.

On the game, Ferguson told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire: "We were [clinging on]. It's a strange game. First half, excellent performance. Absolutely dominated, created chances, the shape was very good in terms of how we played it and how I wanted us to play it. We controlled the game. I thought first half we were really good.

"Second half I thought we started a bit sloppy but then you get the third goal and we had other chances as well and we've completely dominated.

"All of a sudden we concede and the two goals are really poor and then, if I'm completely honest, we lost all composure on the ball off the ball. Maybe you get that with a young team.

"The goals are really poor and we were hanging on a bit at the end which obviously in a game you dominate like that you shouldn't be."

As the momentum completely shifted, it did look as though Rovers were going to find a way to equalise and possibly even go on and clinch all three points and away supporters situated in the far left corner provided an audible cheer when the fourth official's board showed 10 minutes of added time.

To no surprise, Ferguson was left perplexed as to how so much added time was provided and also criticised the performance of referee Farai Hallam.

"I thought the manner of the goals were really poor," the 52-year-old added. "You've got to stop the ball going in the box but then when it goes in the box you've got to deal with it and we certainly didn't. First one is so easy and it gave them a bit of momentum that they simply didn't have and at that point we do look a bit lost in terms of lack of composure. And then they get another one straight away and you're thinking, 'okay, game on.' I just felt we lost composure and the fact that we wanted to keep the ball. We kept giving the ball back to them.

"It wasn't helped by the referee who was appalling. I know it was his first game at this level but he was so bad and I don't know where they get 10 minutes from. I'm amazed it's because if it was them winning and us losing it's probably four. It happens all the time.

"We're the most fouled team in the league and he gave them, it looked to me, everything. I thought he was poor."

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