Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson labels Cobblers 'a very good footballing team' ahead of derby day at Sixfields

Peterborough United manager Darren Ferguson has described Northampton as a ‘very good footballing team’ ahead of Saturday’s derby showdown at a sold-out Sixfields.

Posh have flown out of the blocks this season after their dramatic near miss in May, beating Reading, Charlton and Barnsley, and they will be seeking to make it four wins from four on Saturday. Cobblers, meanwhile, have yet to taste victory since returning to League One.

However, Jon Brady’s side played well against both Wigan and Lincoln, and whereas in the past words such as ‘direct’ or ‘physical’ might have been used to describe Northampton’s playing style, now opposition managers are more flattering.

"It’s a huge match for the supporters and we are mindful of that,” said Ferguson. “It’s a full house with almost 1500 of our fans there, but we just have to go there and play the game and not get caught up in any other stuff.

"I’ve watched the recent Northampton performances and they are a very good footballing team. They’ve changed their style a bit from last season. They look to dominate the ball and they rotate well and they have real threats.

"They’ll keep going as well as they showed the other night when they were 2-0 down with five minutes to go and got a draw. I watched their defeat to Wigan and they played well in that game as well. They are a good side.

"There are certain things we will have to do very well tomorrow. We gave our most complete performance of the season at Barnsley on Tuesday when we were on top for much longer than in our previous games when control was more sporadic.

"We are in good spirits. The players are working with a smile on their faces which is what I want to see even if results are not so good. But turning a great run into a bad one can happen quickly. Bad runs can also turn into something more positive very quickly.”