But obviously not with the result

Obviously disappointed with Saturday’s result, Micky Adams was quick to applaud the players’ commitment and endeavour against a very good Peterborough side after the game.

Vale looked like they had done enough to earn themselves a point, but a late winner from Tyrone Barnett gave the Posh their ninth win in eleven games and their fifth victory on the road.

The Vale manager said: “As a game plan I thought it was spot on. The effort, the enthusiasm and all the things we lacked probably against Rochdale on Tuesday were there.

“We won tackles, we closed people down. We can be slightly critical about what we did when we went forward.

“But we were playing against a very good team and to lose a goal at the death like that, which could easily been avoided I think, id very, very disappointing.

“I thought that was a great effort from certainly the starting eleven and they got about Peterborough.

“They have got this system that suits the players Peterborough have got and can cause teams problems, particularly the middle four who have all got great ability and can play if you give them time.

“But we didn’t want them to have time, particularly here at Vale Park and I feel a little bit gutted for the boys that we have come away with nothing.

“I thought the referee’s performance was a little bit erratic at times and on a couple of occasions we found ourselves in a little bit of trouble.

“Griffith and Dickinson got books early doors, but I felt they kept their discipline well in the second half – we certainly needed to keep eleven players on the pitch to get any sort of result against Peterborough.

“Our shape was good, but as I said, if I am being slightly over critical, going forward we needed to keep the ball better.

“I thought we went for killer balls to often instead of having that extra pass and maybe going wide, but that is being ultra-critical because everybody has seen the effort and enthusiasm the boy have shown today.

“We have done everything right today but just see out the game and a nil-nil draw would have been a different story, we would have all come off with a smile on our faces.”