Derek Fazackerley pleased to win tactical battle against Peterborough

Posted Sunday, March 18, 2018 by PA

Oxford United caretaker boss Derek Fazackerley was able to celebrate after winning the tactical battle against new Peterborough manager Steve Evans in the U’s 2-1 victory.

Goals from Rob Dickie after six minutes and James Henry just after the hour mark helped Oxford to a first win in six games and three points which greatly eases their relegation fears.

Jack Marriott pulled a goal back for Posh almost immediately after Oxford’s second – Marriott’s 29th of the season.

Peterborough had skipper Jack Baldwin sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card as they slipped out of the play-off places.

Fazackerley changed his formation and went with a 4-4-2 which caused Posh a lot of problems.

He admitted afterwards: “It was a fantastic result for us, 2-1 against a side that has won its last three and has a very dangerous front two or front three.

“The players were resilient, stuck at it and offered them very few chances.

“We deserved to win, and on the counter-attack in the second half we might well have added to our goals.

“The commitment was excellent and I’m pleased the players have been rewarded because the performances have not been as bad as the results.

“It was an excellent first goal, coming so early for us, and a terrific strike for the second goal from James Henry. I thought Henry was excellent.

“The opposition had to change their system to try to nullify us. I thought our system in the first half was particularly effective.

“It’s just very pleasing to get a win in front of our own fans and the result takes a bit of pressure off us.”

It was Peterborough’s first defeat under new boss Evans, who said: “I got a lot wrong. I got the team wrong and I got the system wrong.

“Irrespective of that, though, you have to work hard, and I don’t think we did that in the first half.

“All credit to Oxford, they were better than us today, and our young players are going to learn from that.

“We got back into the game with Jack Marriott, as he’s always capable of doing, and maybe if we’d equalised, we’d have gone on to win the game.

“I don’t think there would have been too many complaints from Oxford had we got a point, because we dominated the second half, but that was more because of the conditions, which were pretty farcical.

“Jack Marriott had a couple of chances, but overall we didn’t do enough to effect the game in a positive manner, or to win the game.”

Peterborough dropped to seventh in the table after Plymouth came from behind to beat Bristol Rovers 3-2 and climbed above them.