Luke Williams pleased with Peterborough’s character and fighting spirit

Luke Williams praised Peterborough’s character and fighting spirit after they made it three Sky Bet League One wins on the bounce with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Port Vale.

Harry Leonard’s fifth goal in four league matches settled the contest in the 83rd minute as Posh moved up to 16th in the table.

And Williams was delighted with the way his team soaked up sustained pressure from Vale before scoring the winner.

“I’m so happy with that (the character and fighting spirit shown) because you can’t consistently win being half a team and only turning up when things suit you,” he said.

“But this is a tough place to play – it’s a huge pitch.

“The condition of the pitch is tough – nothing to do with any ground staff, by the way, because they’ve done incredible – but you just cannot keep these pitches in tip, top (condition) when these winter months come.

“It’s a hard place to play. They went man for man. They were very, very aggressive, very brave. I loved the way they played and they caused us all sorts of problems.

“But for us to be able to weather that and then find a way into the game, I’m so pleased.”

Williams also spoke highly of the in-form Leonard.

“That’s his job, that’s what he does,” he added. “He’s a goalscorer and he has the instinct and he has the character.

“We just need to keep supplying him.”

Vale have now gone 10 league games without a win and are seven points adrift of 23rd-placed Doncaster at the bottom of the table.

Boss Darren Moore was left to rue missed chances in the first half.

“It’s a disappointing one because we wanted to get the three points today,” he said.

“We had a great start to the game on the front foot and finished the half really, really strongly.

“We came in at half-time and felt as a group that there was opportunities and chances there.

“It was just about keeping on the front foot in the second half, which was probably an even game, and then just from a moment and a lapse of concentration, the pendulum has ended up being tipped in Peterborough’s favour and they win the game.

“We were in the ascendancy in the game. It’s another game where Vale have been really competitive, on the front foot, fighting for the cause, but again we switched off in that moment and they capitalised on it.

“I think we’ve been more or less in games like that all season really, up until this point, and those moments in the first half – if we could capitalise on them and get a goal (it’s a different story).”