Graham Turner's thoughts after the 1-0 defeat at Peterborough
Town travelled to inform Peterborough with a tough test ahead of them but left London Road disappointed not to have taken anything from the game.
It looked like the game would be a go to form with a lot of early pressure that saw Posh hit the post with just over a minute on the clock. But Town dug in and put in the hard work to silence the home crowd and keep Posh at bay.
In the end it took a superb curling shot from second half substitute Mendez-Laing which gave Chris Weale no chance.
After the game Graham Turner was asked if his overall feeling from the game was one of frustration with the result:”It's been a frustrating afternoon, I've said to the players in the dressing room that I sympathise with them because of the amount of hard work that they've put in without any reward.
“We knew that after 5 straight wins they would be straight out of the blocks and for the first 10 minutes we clearly had some problems.
“We got away with it, bar from them hitting the post Chris Weale had little to do during that period.
“For the last 15 minutes we played really well but the only criticism is that we looked tentative in and around the penalty area.
“We should have a little bit more belief in ourselves during those periods and done better with the chances.”
Town did create chances but over the 90 minutes they didn't test Olejnik in the Peterborough goal:”We had the one cracking shot where Jon Taylor has hit one and their keeper has made a good save but for the rest of the time there have been too many go wide from good positions, the final ball hasn't been good enough.
“We've put in a really good shift worked tremendously hard and not got anything and I do think we deserved to get something from the game.”
It took a moment of quality for Posh to take the points and GT acknowledged the strike from substitute Mendez-Laing:”There was a bit of both, but I don't think Chris Weale has had a lot to do during the game.
“It's taken a top quality goal to beat Chris, yes we should have cut the ball out but it's still been a top quality goal to beat us.
“Sometimes when a goal goes in like that you have to hold your hand up and say it was a quality goal.”
Town can take encouragement away from the game that they have travelled to another of the favourites to win the division and more than held their own:”What you've got to do is take encouragement that we've worked very hard today, we can be better with our possession of the ball.
“We didn't pass the ball as well as we can do, we've got to be a little bit more positive around the penalty area and we need to take that into Tuesday night's game.”
Town now turn their attentions to Tuesday nights visit of Colchester United to the Greenhous Meadow. GT is hoping that his team can take encouragement of their performance into that game:”All games are going to be difficult and I don't think that Colchester will be any different.
“What the players need to do is to have a little bit more belief that we've played one of the best sides in the League and have put on a good show.
“The players need to take that into Tuesday's games and do all we can to get the 3 points.
“We have the chance to make changes against Colchester and bring some fresh legs in but that's a decision that we'll think about in the morning.”