Darren Ferguson praised the impact of two-goal Ephron Mason-Clark as Peterborough moved second in League One with a 2-1 win at Charlton.

Mason-Clark put Ferguson’s side ahead in the first half and then secured the points with a 75th-minute second.

The win extends Peterborough’s unbeaten league run to 10 games, and Ferguson was in no doubt Mason-Clark deserved his double.

The Posh manager said: “He’s good player. He’s so strong, he gets kicked around all over the place but he gets up and gets on with it.

“He’s scored two today and that’s 13 for the season. He’s a very, very good player.”

Ferguson was frustrated his side failed to make more of their first-half dominance, but having restored their lead after Alfie May’s 49th-minute equaliser, the manager was satisfied with the way Peterborough maintained their improved run of form on the road.

He said: “Coming into the Christmas period we spoke about improving our away form and we have certainly done that. I think that’s four away wins on the bounce which is very impressive.

“We deserved to win the game overall, we just didn’t finish it off but we dug it out in the end.

“We were completely dominant in the first half, there was no real threat against us. We got the goal but just couldn’t get the second goal.

“Then at the start of the second half we had four unbelievable chances inside 10 seconds and we didn’t manage to take one.

“Any team that comes here and wins, its a good win. It’s a very important win.”

Defeat means Charlton are now without a victory in eight league games.

A poor first-half display was met with boos at half-time, and manager Michael Appleton admitted he shared the fans’ disappointment before highlighting an improved second-half display.

He said: “Obviously the first half was frustrating. We were tentative and showed them a bit too much respect.

“In the second half I thought we were outstanding at times. We came up a top side and we stood toe to toe with them at times and created plenty of opportunities.

“I wanted us to pass the ball quicker and make more runs without the ball. We got that in the second half. I really enjoyed watching us in that second half. It gave me lots of hope and encouragement.

“We have just got to focus on what we are doing. We’ve got 20 games, 60 points to play for. If we get the personnel in we want, I think we can get a lot of those points.”

Darren Ferguson dished out the plaudits for Jonson Clarke-Harris after his double secured a 2-2 draw against League One promotion rivals Barnsley.

The striker, who is widely expected to leave in January, provided what could be a memorable farewell in front of the home fans by heading in crosses from David Ajiboye and Harrison Burrows either side of the break after a shock recall to the side.

Herbie Kane and top-scorer Devante Cole had earlier put Barnsley in command but they allowed their lead to slip before Corey O’Keeffe and Ephron Mason-Clark both hit the bar.

Mason-Clark also saw a strong penalty appeal ignored in the second half as the game ended level.

Ferguson said: “Jonno knows his time is up at the club as he’s likely to get a move in January.

“He is a great example of someone who has trained well and been great with the younger players.

“I told him yesterday he was going to play as we needed to give Ricky (Jade Jones) a rest and that he has nothing to prove to anyone so to go out and play his normal game.

“There is no striker better than him in the box in the league – simple as that. Once we started getting quality into the box he scored goals.

“I thought he was great tonight and if we had got the penalty – and we must surely be due one – he would have taken it and probably ended up with a hat-trick.

“Tremendous credit goes to all of my players for the character they showed to come from behind. They have determination and desire to not lose games of football.”

Barnsley remain a point outside the play-off places.

Boss Neill Collins said: “I’m really disappointed that we didn’t get rewarded for what was a fantastic performance.

“I don’t think we deserved to lose a goal at the end of that first half given the way we played.

“And to then concede a weak goal at the start of the second half, they are probably the only two negatives.

“I don’t know how Corey’s chance that hit the bar stayed out and we also had other chances against a top team in this division.

“Peterborough have probably been the most dominant team in the league over the last 15 games, but we really made it difficult for them.

“To come here and get a point is always good, but I felt we deserved all three.

“There are obviously things we can improve on, but if we can replicate in the second half of the season what we have done in the first, we’ll be in the play-offs.”

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson felt his side should have been more ruthless following the 1-0 victory over struggling Fleetwood at Highbury Stadium.

A goal from Archie Collins just before the break proved to be the difference as Ferguson’s side made it five League One games without defeat.

In a first half that was dominated by the visitors, United had plenty of chances to take the lead with Ricky-Jade Jones and Kwame Poku coming close in the opening moments.

But Peterborough eventually broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute when Collins’ long-range effort deflected past Fleetwood goalkeeper Jay Lynch before nestling in the bottom corner.

Posh could have extended their lead in the second half when Lynch brilliantly stopped Jones’ close-range header while Posh goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic denied Ben Heneghan in the dying moments as the home side almost grabbed an unlikely equaliser.

Peterborough are now in the League One automatic-promotion places after four wins in their last five.

Ferguson said: “It should have been at least three after 10 minutes but it wasn’t. We started the game how I wanted us to with the authority we’ve got.

“But we’ve just got to be more ruthless, we’ve blown teams away at times but away from home against a team that’s not in form, if we get that second goal it kills the game.

“It wasn’t comfortable at the end and, ultimately, we’re hanging on in a game that should have been very comfortable.

“It was a good game to watch, I just wish we could have been more ruthless, but it’s another win and another clean sheet.

“The clean sheets are going to be key and if we can keep clean sheets like we have been then we’re going to have a bit of a chance.

“You’ve got to come to these places and beat what’s in front of you and today we did that.”

Defeat was Fleetwood’s sixth in a row in all competitions and they have not found the net in almost 10 hours of football.

Manager Lee Johnson said: “I think it’s been a massive effort to get that performance.

“I thought we rode our luck a little bit in the first 15 or 20 minutes but I think we did OK.

“I thought we defended OK and worked really hard and we went 4-4-2 to try and be more positive in the game.

“We had two golden chances really, in the first half with Josh Earl and then with Ben Heneghan at the end.

“We weren’t without chances and it’s another game where we haven’t scored and another game that we’ve conceded.

“On a positive note, I thought it was excellent to see how many of our academy players were in and around the first-team squad today and that’s nice to see.

“But we can’t be victims and we have to be fighters. We’ve got to get through January and we’ve got to get through this season and then I’m certain that this time next year the complexity of the league position changes.”

Relieved Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson feared his side were heading out of the FA Cup before their dramatic sudden death penalty shootout win over League Two Salford.

Fynn Talley sent the League One high-flyers through to a second-round home tie against Ferguson’s former club Doncaster by saving Connor McLennan’s crucial spot-kick.

Talley repaid Ferguson’s faith in his selection by also stopping a penalty from Marcus Dackers.

“The decision was a simple one because I though Fynn deserved a chance to play and not just in the Trophy games,” said Ferguson.

“He didn’t have any fault with the goals, he did fine and helped us get through with the two penalty saves.

“It is a big moment in his career.”

Peterborough led 3-1 at half-time but were pegged back by the hour as Curtis Tilt scored his second of the night and Josh Knight put through his own net.

Stevie Mallan put Salford in front in extra time, only for Jonson Clarke-Harris to equalise with the last kick of the tie.

Elliot Watt then hit a post with what could have been the winning penalty.

“The main thing is we are through,” said Ferguson. “It would have been a hell of a blow had we not gone through.

“You just hope and keep believing. Fortunately it dropped to the perfect person (Clarke-Harris) who smashed it in.

“It was a good example of what we can be like as a team.

“We went from some sublime stuff with complete control and should have been more than two goals ahead at half-time to what you saw.

“I said at half-time it can go one of two ways: get the next goal and it will be an enjoyable comfortable evening. You lose the next goal and it will make it tricky.

“They weren’t bothered and just went for it. They knew if they got one back they were back in the game.

“They changed their shape and caused us problems.

“When they went 4-3 ahead you are thinking ‘we are out of the cup’.

“But we found a way and then their boy (Watt) hits the post with his penalty and I’m thinking it might just be our night.”

Salford boss Neil Wood said: “We are very disappointed not to go through.

“Me and the staff are gutted for the players for the effort and work rate they put in. We just can’t get it over the line.

“We just needed to see it out and we almost did. We had the chance to slot the winning penalty but hit the post. It’s fine margins and our luck will change.”

Finn Talley’s sudden death spot-kick save from Connor McLennan earned League One Peterborough a dramatic 5-4 penalty shootout win over gallant League Two rivals Salford in their FA Cup replay.

But Darren Ferguson’s side were seconds from a shock first-round exit until substitute Jonson Clarke-Harris equalised in time added on at the end of extra time.

Ammies skipper Alex Cairns then saved two penalties, giving Elliot Watt the chance to win it for the fourth-tier side.

Instead, Watt’s kick hit a post and Archie Collins’ success from 12 yards and Talley’s save sent Posh through to a second-round home meeting with Doncaster.

Only 1,030 were in attendance, but those at Moor Lane were treated to a thrill a minute.

Defender Curtis Tilt headed Salford in front early but Posh hit back through Joel Randall, Ephron Mason-Clark and Collins.

A double interval change, including the substitution of 14-goal top scorer Matt Smith, proved a masterstroke by Salford manager Neil Wood.

Tilt headed in his second of the night from Watt’s corner after 54 minutes to revive Salford hopes.

And the teams were level again seven minutes later as defender Josh Knight turned Conor McAleny’s cross into his own goal.

Stevie Mallan looked to have snatched a famous win for Salford in the 114th minute, before Clarke-Harris earned the visitors a penalty shootout reprieve.

Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson bemoaned “two individual errors” for his side’s 2-1 League One defeat at Wigan.

The hosts had enjoyed the better of the first half, with on-loan Fulham winger Martial Godo giving them a sixth-minute lead and Jordan Jones hitting the bar.

But a formation change helped to transform the game after the break, with Kwame Poku equalising nine minutes after the restart, and David Ajiboye sending another shot whistling just past the Wigan post.

Just as it looked as though Posh would force a second goal, however, Wigan struck with eight minutes to go through substitute Callum McManaman, whose rasping strike from the edge of the box secured all three points.

“It’s a bad result,” acknowledged Ferguson, whose side lost for the first time in 10 league matches.

“To lose any game is a bad result but, given the nature of the game, it’s a very bad result.

“In terms of how the game went, two individual errors have cost us. When you’re playing against a team like Wigan, they are a good team, but they gave us a lot of respect.

“They sat back off us, they changed their shape, they were happy for us to have the ball at the back, and it was too slow.

“Once they get the goal, it becomes very difficult. And the goals we conceded stopped any kind of momentum we tried to get in the game.

“In saying that, in the second half I thought we were excellent and we still should have got something out of the game.

“The formation change worked, we dominated them, and we were getting one-on-ones out wide against a winger (Jordan Jones). We had to isolate him, we managed to do that, and we caused them all sorts of problems.

“Look, a lot of the performance was very good, and a lot of the details were very good.

“To come to Wigan and do what we’ve done, when they were penned in, is very good. But individual errors have cost us a result.”

For Wigan boss Shaun Maloney, it was a fifth win in six matches, against a side he feels will be up there at the end of the campaign.

“It was a brilliant win against a really good team,” he said.

“When I analysed Peterborough, I watched one of their games, and it was probably the most impressive performance I’d seen so far this season. And we’ve played some really good teams. Portsmouth, Oxford, to name two.

“I really enjoyed the first half, we tried to limit their space, and when they had the ball, I really liked what we did.

“In the second half, they came out really aggressive, and when they equalised, all the momentum was with them. I felt like there was a 15-20 minute period when it could have gone either way.

“Then we have that bit of magic from Cal at the end, and then we have to defend with everything we had. Sometimes the games you win like that, they give you more joy.

“I have to say again, I thought it was a brilliant game, and a huge win against a team I genuinely feel will come very close to the top two at the end of the season.”

Darren Ferguson was left to rue two individual errors that left his Peterborough side facing a replay away at Sky Bet League Two Salford following a 2-2 draw.

Posh goalkeeper Nicholas Bilokapic twice gifted the visitors the lead, in the fourth and 69th minutes, with errors before towering defender Emmanuel Fernandez snatched an equaliser in the 93rd minute after being sent on to play upfront.

“I’m frustrated we’ve got another game and a journey up to Salford,” Ferguson said.

“We’ve already got Wigan on Tuesday so I didn’t want a replay. I ran the risk of losing the game towards the end.

“We were defending with just two players and the rest were upfront but in many ways, you don’t want to lose a game so you’re better off being in the cup and having a replay but it’s definitely a result I didn’t want.”

Bilokapic first played a pass straight to Stephen Mallan on the edge of the box to bury into an empty net and then allowed Zak Sturge’s backpass to roll under his foot.

Ricky-Jade Jones had pulled Posh level just 25 seconds into the second half, scoring in three consecutive games for the first time in his career.

Ferguson added: “We know the reason why we drew, there’s no other way of looking at it, it’s two individual errors. I don’t think they’ve any real chances in the game.

“The mistakes were momentum killers because we started the game really well and were on the front foot.

“The second came from nowhere. Before that, everyone thinks we’re just going to go on and win the game, even them probably.”

After coming so close to an FA Cup upset, Salford boss Neil Wood was left disappointed that his side could not get over the line.

He said: “It’s tough, they’re a really strong team.

“They had to really load it up with the subs they brought on at the end.

“We did ever so well and we’re a bit disappointed in the moments leading up to the equaliser, we probably made some mistakes. It feels like a defeat.

“I have high expectations for us and it’s probably a bit of disappointment creeping in but we have to put it into context.

“They are a really good team at the top end of League One, who have some excellent players.

“We dealt with their attacking players quite well and to get ourselves back in front and to get  90 seconds away from seeing it out, without doing so, is disappointing.

“We played some good stuff ourselves and defended really well so there are some real positives to take from the game.”

Darren Ferguson was relieved to survive an “unprofessional” second-half wobble as his side held off a fightback from 10-man Blackpool to win 4-2 at Bloomfield Road.

Posh appeared to be cruising as goals from Kwame Poku, Harrison Burrows and Ricky-Jade Jones put them 3-0 up inside an hour against a home side who had Oliver Casey dismissed shortly after the restart.

But the hosts scored twice in the space of four minutes through Kenny Dougall’s header and Sonny Carey, who was first to the rebound when Nicholas Bilokapic parried James Husband’s shot to set up a grandstand finish.

It needed a stoppage-time strike from Ephron Mason-Clark, who had earlier missed a penalty, to make the points safe and Ferguson was left to reflect on a mixed performance.

“We were excellent for 60 minutes and we stuck to the game plan,” he said.

“We were very good and we were dominant. But even at 2-0 we got sloppy, and then a great third goal and you’re thinking ‘game over, just manage it. Can we put a real statement out and put them to the sword?’.

“Then 15 minutes later, we’re hanging on. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. We were all over the place and it was just unprofessional.

“We managed to see it through and a good counter-attack and a great finish by Ephron. Any time you come here and you win, it’s a great result because these will be in the top six, I’m absolutely certain of that.

“We’ve now gone to Bolton away, Barnsley away, these away, Portsmouth away; a lot of teams that will probably end up in the top six, I think, and we’ve come out pretty unscathed.”

Posh climbed to fourth following their victory while Blackpool sit seventh, three points outside the Sky Bet League One play-off places.

Tangerines boss Neil Critchley had nothing but praise for the way his side battled back into the contest.

“I’m proud of a team that’s given absolutely everything in really difficult circumstances,” he said.

“If you’re going to lose a game of football, then lose like that.

“I’m disappointed to lose, obviously. I think we could have started the game better, I thought we were a little bit tentative, which was not the message before the game, but I thought we grew into it.

“Our response to going 3-0 down was magnificent, unbelievable. The players gave absolutely everything. At 3-2, we had them, we felt we could get something out of the game at that moment in time.

“You could see tiredness towards the end and we made a mistake and they scored. So much happened during the game. Even though we’ve lost, I’m still very positive about what I saw in the second half, especially.”

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson called his players ‘bottlers’ after they lost a Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out 3-1 at League Two Mansfield.

Posh came from behind to lead but the game ended 2-2 when Lucas Akins netted a stoppage-time penalty.

Former Peterborough goalkeeper Christy Pym then saved two spot-kicks before Davis Keillor-Dunn netted the winner as the Nottinghamshire team ensured they remain the only EFL side unbeaten this season, making the fourth round of the competition for the first time since 1975.

Ferguson said: “I don’t like criticising my players in public and I very rarely do as a manager. But I am not letting them get away with that one. They absolutely bottled it.

“For the first 65-70 minutes, the penalty aside, I thought we were really, really good and they couldn’t get near us.

“But all of a sudden Mansfield started going back to front a bit more and we just bottled it, pure and simple. I can’t dress this one up.

“It is terrible result, there is no other way of putting it, and it is a massive opportunity missed.

“It was a massive chance to get in the last 16 and I hope Mansfield now get Manchester United away or something like that so our players can see it tomorrow night.”

Will Swan put the Stags ahead from the penalty spot in the fifth minute but the visitors piled on the pressure and levelled when Jonson Clarke-Harris’ 25-yard free-kick went through the wall and past Pym on the half hour.

Clarke-Harris swept home a second in the 47th minute but Mansfield raised their game and began to dominate and were rewarded with Akins’ spot-kick success three minutes into added time, before emulating their shoot-out win at Sheffield Wednesday in the previous round.

Delighted Stags boss Nigel Clough said: “We are into the next round for the first time in nearly 50 years, which is a hell of an achievement, but so is going 12 games unbeaten.

“For quite long spells we were second best as they were so good. There wasn’t too much we were doing wrong. They were just very competent.

“The respect they showed us by naming a full side said everything. They are a top side in League One and you can see the big difference, the pace and the speed they move the ball.

“We just hung on in there, trying not to concede a third goal and at 2-1 anything can happen in the last 20 minutes.

“I thought the equaliser was coming after Lucas Akins’ goal that was offside. It was no more than we deserved for hanging on in there.

“We have been good taking penalties in training and at Sheffield Wednesday so we saw no reason why we couldn’t win the shoot-out.”

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson praised his side’s belief after goals from Hector Kyprianou, Jonson Clarke-Harris and Kwame Poku saw them come from behind to win 3-1 at Barnsley.

The home side took the lead through Barry Cotter six minutes after the break before Kyprianou equalised with 16 minutes remaining.

Clarke-Harris struck two minutes later and Poku added a third five minutes from time.

Ferguson said: “From the moment we went behind, I thought we were absolutely outstanding.

“It was a really good game and a good advert for the league. Two really good teams.

“I thought that both teams had moments in the first half. Nick (Bilokapic)’s made a couple of good saves and we’ve probably had the more clear-cut chances.

“I told the players at half-time that we had to be more ruthless.

“We lost a soft goal but the reaction to losing the goal was outstanding.

“Even if we’d lost tonight, with that performance, I wouldn’t have been disappointed.

“I wouldn’t have been as happy but I would have been delighted with the way the players responded after going behind.

“As a manager, I was delighted with the belief that they kept thinking they would get something out of the game and that’s what we did.

“We just kept going and we were relentless. The first goal was fantastic. It was really, really good play and a great finish.

“Then we just stepped on the gas a little bit and managed to win the game.

“Absolutely delighted with the performance of the players. A young team with real belief.

“If you’re going to be successful, you have to come to Barnsley on Tuesday nights and get results and we’ve managed to do that.

“I’m delighted with the amount of chances we created and overall I’m delighted. No-one’s getting carried away – it’s a good start but it’s just a start.”

Barnsley head coach Neill Collins was disappointed to see his side lose their grip on the game after going ahead.

He said: “That will take a little bit of digesting. For everything that we did well for the first 55 minutes, I thought we then proceeded to do the opposite almost.

“Up until that point, the team had been fantastic, both sides of the ball, against a very good side.

“I thought we deservedly took the lead and should probably have been ahead at half-time.

“We came out and felt confident that we could get that goal, but then I’m not quite sure why we then proceeded to lose the cohesion that we had and stopped doing the things that we’d done so well.

“I felt that we just became sporadic and more individualistic at times. Despite a couple of warning signs and the goalkeeper in particular making one fantastic save, the goals were cardinal sins in terms of ones we gave away.”

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson hailed the character of his squad after bouncing back from play-off agony with a successful start to the new season.

Ferguson was also full of praise for midfield ace Hector Kyprianou after he hit the only goal in first-half stoppage time as Posh eased past Charlton 1-0 to follow up an opening day triumph at relegated Reading by the same scoreline.

Keeper Nicholas Bilokapic was a key figure for Ferguson’s new-look squad, pulling off smart saves in each half from Panutche Camara and Alfie May.

Jonson-Clarke Harris was then a whisker away from a late Posh clincher when he fired against a post at the death.

Ferguson, whose side were knocked out of last season’s play semi-finals by Sheffield Wednesday despite leading 4-0 from the first leg, said: “Two wins from two league games and through in the League Cup…it’s been a good week to start the season!

“We controlled the majority of the first half and it was a fantastic goal from Hector that got us ahead just before half-time.

“The boy is a talent. As soon as I came back to the club in January, I felt he was a player I could really work with and help develop.

“But we were careless in the second half. We didn’t look after the ball anywhere near well enough and that gave Charlton momentum, but they didn’t have too much in the way of clearcut chances.

“It is a really important result coming with another clean sheet and we have to give the players credit – especially the ones who were here last season – to recover from the way it ended with such an almighty blow.

“We’ve got our head down, worked hard and the fans will appreciate what this group are about. They’ll have a right go and won’t stop running.”

Ferguson and Charlton boss Dean Holden both featured on a list of a dozen bookings.

Holden admitted: “It goes down as a game we should have got more from.

“I’m really pleased with the performance but disappointed with the result.

“Football is all about both boxes. We conceded a goal we shouldn’t have and couldn’t take the chances we created.

“It was a poor goal to let in. We needed to clear a throw-in that bounced around the edge of our box, we didn’t and we got punished.

“It should have been 0-0, but we’ve come in 1-0 down so we had a bit of work to do at half-time in terms of mentality.

“Coming to Peterborough was always going to be a big test but for 20-25 minutes in the second half it was one-way traffic.

“There was a good chance for Alfie, Corey (Blackett-Taylor) got on the inside a few times, but we just couldn’t quite find that moment to get ourselves back level.”

Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson hailed the quality of his side’s penalties but felt the performance could have been better as they saw off Swindon to reach the Carabao Cup second round.

Joel Randall’s first Peterborough goal since his move from Exeter in the summer of 2021 was cancelled out by Rushian Hepburn-Murphy as the game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes.

Frazer Blake-Tracy and Jake Young missed in the penalty shoot-out for Swindon while Jonson Clarke-Harris, Ronnie Edwards, Joseph Tomlinson and Harrison Burrows all scored to send Peterborough through.

Ferguson said: “I’m delighted to be through. It’s a cup tie and your main focus is to get through to the next round and we’ve done that.

“Very, very good penalties to get us there, four really good pens, Nick (Bilokapic)’s obviously saved one so yeah, pleased to get through.

“I’ll have to look back at the performance and pick the bones out of it, but it’s easier to do that when you get through.

“We just weren’t there tonight in terms of the basics of the game, certainly the tackling and second balls and things like that we weren’t good enough tonight.”

Swindon manager Michael Flynn said: “I’ll take a whole lot from that. I thought we were the better team over the duration of the game.

“We had 23 shots away from home against a very good League One team who only made a couple of changes from Saturday and I was very, very proud of them.

“We did everything well apart from the first goal. I thought we went one-for-one, picked up second balls, we pressed them with the right parts, they had to change formation later on, we created good chances and I just wish we’d took a few more of the situations we created.

“But on the whole I couldn’t be happier really.”