Mike Dodds sparked Wycombe’s fightback with some ‘choice words at half-time’

Wycombe head coach Mike Dodds revealed a few choice words helped raise his side from their first-half torpor at Peterborough after they hit back to snatch a last-gasp 1-1 draw.

The Posh were by far the sharper team in the first half and deservedly led through Malik Mothersille’s penalty, but the Chairboys eventually equalised through Richard Kone in the third minute of stoppage time.

Kone’s strike, his 20th of the season in all competitions, meant the Chairboys remained second in League One, although only goal difference now separates them and third-placed Wrexham.

Dodds said: “First half, I didn’t like the performance, I didn’t like much if I’m honest.

“There were some selected words, some choice words at half-time and then I felt we had a lot more energy and purpose and we rolled our sleeves up and made it really difficult (for Peterborough).

“We felt like their two sitting midfielders needed a little more pressure on the ball, so we just made a couple of tweaks at half-time.

“That being said, I don’t think the first half was a tactical issue, I think it was down to energy and endeavour, rolling our sleeves up, running around and having a right go.

“They had more energy and purpose about their play, so I don’t think it was a tactical issue – I think it was more a mindset issue.

“I don’t think tactics had a huge bearing on the second half, I just felt we played with more energy.”

After Josh Scowen fouled Abraham Odoh in the area, Mothersille nervelessly converted from the penalty spot to give Peterborough a 16th-minute lead.

That looked set to be decisive, only for Kone to come to Wycombe’s rescue at the death when he struck after Luke Leahy’s shot was deflected into his path.

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson was frustrated not to see he game out and felt his side should have had a second penalty when Cian Hayes went down in the area.

“We’ve probably not been as ruthless as we normally are and the quality has not been as good as I’d like to expect,” Ferguson said.

“From the top of my head, we had two or three really good chances to win us the game. We’ve got ourselves to blame for not killing the game off.

“They’re the team that are the top scorers in the league – 60-odd goals – they’re a threat.

“They played a different way today than what they have been playing, they went a lot more back-to-front, played with two out-and-out strikers, but I felt first half that suited us a little bit because we were in complete control of the game.

“We thoroughly deserved to be ahead (thanks to) a great penalty, a really good penalty from Malik.

“And key decisions, Cian’s penalty was a blatant penalty – just because you’ve given one it doesn’t mean you can’t give two.”