05 April 2021

Lee Johnson hails impact of Aiden McGeady after draw at Peterborough

05 April 2021

Sunderland boss Lee Johnson sung the praises of goal hero Aiden McGeady after rescuing a point in a crucial promotion clash against Peterborough

The set-piece wizard struck with a stunning 81st minute free-kick to drag the Black Cats level.

McGeady ensured Sunderland, now unbeaten in 14 games, remain two points behind their hosts in the race to escape League One.

He cancelled out a 66th minute Posh goal from substitute Siriki Dembele although Johnson claimed a foul went unpunished in the build-up.

Sunderland came closest to a dramatic winner when Posh defender Mark Beevers sliced a cross against his own post in the 90th minute, but it ended with honours even.

Johnson said: “If you were going to place the ball for an Aiden McGeady free-kick then that was the perfect position.

“I felt that there was a decent chance of scoring as we see him do it regularly in training, and he produced for us.

“There are loads of positives as we’ve continued our good run, but I always want to win so there is a little piece of me not happy with a point.

“I thought there was a foul on Callum McFadzean in the build-up to the Peterborough goal.

“They got away with one there, but as a neutral I suppose you would say a draw is about right.

“We have got really tough games to come and we have got to try to win them all.

“I still feel there is the potential for somebody to go on a run. I was in a Watford squad that was down in 14th with 10 games to go and won 10 on the spin to get promoted.”

Posh boss Darren Ferguson was also unhappy with a point and referee Craig Hicks.

He said: “I’m disappointed we didn’t win with the way the game panned out. We had two really big opportunities to kill the game off and had a clear penalty not given.

“I have watched it back . . . their guy has dived and saved Jonno’s (Jonson Clarke-Harris) shot with his hands.

“We said at half-time that we needed to play with a bit more confidence. We did that and caused them problems.

“We got the goal with a fantastic finish from Siriki and I thought we would go to win from there, but we conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box and the one player you don’t want to give a chance like that to is McGeady.

“There are going to be plenty of twists and turns ahead. This game was never going to define the season.

“Hull and Sunderland still have to play each other so everything is in our hands.”

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