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Peterborough have sacked Darren Ferguson after the 2-1 home defeat by fellow strugglers Blackpool, which left them bottom of League One.
Blackpool – with Ian Evatt at the helm after he replaced Steve Bruce, who was sacked at the start of the month – took the lead when a Josh Bowler shot hit the unlucky Peter Kioso and went in after 35 minutes. Posh levelled when Matt Garbett fired home from outside the box just before half-time, but the visitors won it with five minutes to go when Scott Banks curled home.
Speaking after the defeat, Ferguson had accepted “results are not good enough” but called for everyone to stick together. However, the club’s chair, Darragh MacAnthony, later confirmed he had reluctantly decided to dismiss Ferguson, who had been in his fourth spell at the club.
“I have made the decision to terminate Darren Ferguson’s contract after today’s game. The decision wasn’t taken lightly, but it’s a decision I feel is the correct one for the football club,” MacAnthony said in a statement. “The gaffer is for me the greatest manager in the club’s history who I will always consider to be part of my family and the club’s family. There are too many wonderful moments to mention here, but those many celebrated moments I will cherish and remember for ever.
“Yes, we have had down moments and it hasn’t always gone to plan, but he has managed this football club like it’s his own. I am devastated he is no longer our manager and will miss the everyday chats we have regarding life and football. I wish him and his phenomenally supportive family nothing but love and respect and the best for the future.”
League One roundup: Cardiff stay top despite defeat
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Stevenage and Bradford cancelled each other out with a 1-1 draw to leave Cardiff still top of the table despite a 1-0 lunchtime defeat at Bolton.
Cardiff had seen their promotion push checked when the on-loan Brighton winger Antonio Cozier-Duberry struck in stoppage time to keep Wanderers within striking distance of the top six.
Stevenage and Bradford then had the opportunity to move clear at the summit, but a draw at the Lamex Stadium meant the top three ended the afternoon all on 26 points. Bradford had taken the lead through Neill Byrne after only three minutes, but Boro were soon back on level terms when Harvey White equalised.
Ian Evatt got off to the perfect start as Blackpool manager with a 2-1 win at fellow strugglers Peterborough. Evatt, who has replaced Steve Bruce after he was sacked earlier in October, saw his side go ahead after an own goal from Peter Kioso. Although Posh were back on level terms just before the break through Matthew Garbett, Scott Banks struck with five minutes left to secure a much-needed win, with Peterborough replacing Blackpool at the bottom.
A late goal from Lamine Fanne gave Luton a 1-0 win at Northampton for a first victory under Jack Wilshere. Wimbledon lost ground after Omar Bugiel saw his first-half penalty saved in a 1-0 defeat by strugglers Burton while Lincoln also slipped to 1-0 loss at Leyton Orient.
Wycombe beat 10-man Huddersfield 3-0 after Terriers striker Alfie May was shown a red card and Rotherham won 1-0 at Barnsley. Ollie Cooper, on-loan from Swansea, scored his first Wigan goal to earn a 1-1 draw at Mansfield, while it also finished 1-1 between Reading and Doncaster. PA Media
Photograph: Shaun Brooks/CameraSport
MacAnthony added: “This season has been challenging on all fronts for our great football club. It’s time to go again, freshen up and enter a new period of growth in all aspects on and off the pitch.”
Evatt, meanwhile, believes his struggling side showed signs of what they can become. “It has been a brilliant week,” he said. “This is one of my life ambitions to have this role. I love this club very dearly and to have this opportunity to improve and get up the table where I believe this club belongs is very special to me.
“We are down to the bones and it has been tough for us. The players have been brilliant, they have worked hard, and have been fully engaged and thrown themselves into it. It is intense and a whole new way of playing. Today wasn’t perfect, there were lots of things we can do better but there were also lots of things where you can see what type of team we want to be. We want to be more aggressive with the press and steal the ball high up the pitch and then have the chance to then create something off the back of it. That is the purpose of pressing, to score, and we want to be on the front foot.”
