Grant McCann refuses to get carried away after Peterborough hammer Forest Green

Posted Wednesday, October 12, 2022 by PA

Grant McCann admitted he couldn’t care less about Peterborough’s rise into the play-off places.

McCann’s men claimed a third win during a four-match unbeaten run to jump up to fourth position.

Nathan Thompson’s opener on the half-hour was soon cancelled out by Rovers frontman Josh March.

But League One leading scorer Jonson Clarke-Harris completed a spell of three goals in nine minutes by volleying Posh back ahead with his 10th of the campaign.

Ricky-Jade Jones then stretched the lead in the opening minute of the second half before Harrison Burrows pounced for a fourth Posh goal just before the hour of a first-ever clash between these sides.

McCann said: “It’s a good win and an important one too. We had to be really calm and patient in the first half.

“It was good to see us go ahead from a set-piece as we’ve put a lot of work into them.

“There wasn’t a lot we could do about Forest Green’s leveller as the ball just ricocheted nicely for them, but we responded well to go back in front and then start the second half so well.

“We’ve been good over the last four games and that’s really pleasing. It’s something we want to continue but we understand every game is tough in this division.

“I’m not interested in the league table at all. Let’s see where we are after 46 games.

“People probably get bored of me saying it but we don’t get too high when we win or too down if we lose.

“There is a real focus in the group to do the job that we’ve set out to do this season.”

Forest Green boss Ian Burchnall, who lost Reece Brown and Kyle McAllister to injury on a tough night, said: “I didn’t think there was too much between the teams in the first half, but I didn’t like the way we folded in the second half.

“Everything we did in the first 30 minutes was on point, but it was a real disappointment to concede from Peterborough’s first set-piece of the night.

“When you come away to a top team it is important to make them work for everything, but we gave away some cheap goals.

“We came back into it after going behind and I did think there was a foul for the second Peterborough goal as their striker wrestled Baily Cargill to the ground.

“Giving away a goal a minute after half-time killed the game really and the last one was a result of an individual error.

“We definitely missed the experience of Jordan Moore-Taylor at the back and Connor Wickham up front, who were so influential in our win (against Bolton) at the weekend.”