Jordan Gibson’s first goal of the season is one that will be talked about for a while, with his long-range volley finding its way through bodies and into the bottom corner on Tuesday night – sparking some fairly joyous celebrations along the way.
His overall performance, typical of his season so far, earned him the Vesta Wealth man of the match award and some deserved praise from his manager.
“I think he’s played well again, I think I heard he got man of the match and he thoroughly deserved it,” Paul Simpson said. “He’s putting in full workmanlike performances and he’s got ability.
“I still think as a group we can create more, including Jordan. In the first half we got into the final third ten times, but we didn’t work the goalkeeper, so that’s something we’ve all got to improve on.
“I’m pleased for Jordan, the goal comes from a deflection but who cares, he was brave enough to take the shot on. We were in good areas to recycle the ball that came in from the free kick, so it’s a reward for the way we’ve worked tonight.
“He took a touch, we had two or three times in the first half where we blazed it over the bar. I’m pleased with his composure that he showed. He’s got so much technical ability and he’s shown that by keeping it down, making sure it goes towards the goals, then you take whatever comes.
“We need to do more of it, threaten the goals more. There are so many good things, I’m so pleased with the way players stuck to the task. We changed the shape and haven’t had a lot of time to work on it, but I thought the shape worked well, the players stuck to their jobs, were patient in and out of possession.
“When you do things right you get some rewards. Although it’s only one point it might turn out to be a big point if we can build some momentum on the back of it.”
On the step up in level for the attack-minded player, he told us: “He’s done really well. He’s had a few games where he’s played 90 minutes and I’m not sure that happened last season.
“But he’s working hard and he’s come back with a determination this season. I’m really pleased with what he’s doing. He gets a lot of stick because they all think he’s one of my favourites, but he probably got more stick than anybody else off me last year.
“I think he was the one player who got called into my office the most and got shown clips, got criticised, probably constructive criticism if that’s fair to say. This year I think he’s really knuckled down and is producing real good performances, and that’s a great reward for him. I’m really pleased.”
The point gained was from the type of reaction the manager had asked for following the disappointment of the weekend result at Wycombe.
“I’m totally pleased with it,” he said. “I would have liked three points, but I think these are one of the best if not the best side we’ve come up against, because of the pace and the power they’ve got.
“That’s what we’ve got to try and compete against and build towards over time. They’re an established League One if not a Championship side, and they’ll be expected to be up there.
“I thought we went about it in the right way and I’m delighted we’ve got the point. Now we have to use it to try and build some momentum.
“We’ve had lots and lots of decisions that have gone against us over this season, at some point they may turn and I hope they turn, but we’ve got to do everything to earn the right for them to turn as well.
“Everybody is pleased we’ve got something because they know they deserved something. When you work as hard as they have, you want something out of it, and they’ve earned it.
“There’s a happy feeling about it, when you get a late goal it feels like a win at times. It can help us build towards a win if we go and do it properly at Bolton on Saturday.”
Celebrating just as much as the players when the ball bulged the net were the fans, who had once again urged their team through the 90 minutes.
“They were outstanding,” he said. “I didn’t really know what to expect in terms of the crowd, but for us to get over 6,000 again is a brilliant achievement.
“They’ll have gone home happy knowing that the players have put a right shift in, every single one of them. It’s given the supporters something to smile about on their way home.
“I think they know we’re trying to do things right, and I think they know football teams. I think they looked at this and thought they’re not a bad side, Peterborough, the way they started this game.
“The fans appreciated that we dug in and we got ourselves back into it by the end of the first half. They showed a calmness.
“They knew there was an injustice in terms of the decisions that went against us, and it would have been a crying shame if they didn’t have something to celebrate at the end. Last minute goals are always nice and I’m sure they all went home happier.”
