Darren Ferguson praised the character of his Peterborough side as they came from behind to secure a 2-1 win at Exeter in League One.

Reece Cole put the hosts ahead in the fourth minute but they were pegged back just three minutes later by Malik Mothersille.

And the turnaround was completed on the stoke of half-time when Emmanuel Fernandez’s long-range strike flashed past Joe Whitworth.

Peterborough boss Ferguson, whose side won 4-1 after falling behind at Shrewsbury last weekend, said: “It was a little bit of a game of two halves to a degree.

“They obviously started really well and we started really poorly, giving a goal away, and for the second week running we have responded within a couple of minutes and equalised.

“In the second half we changed a couple of things. We had to be more aggressive and we tweaked one or two things in possession and got much more control of the game. We missed chance after chance, including a penalty.

“I thought we controlled the game well in the second half against a good team. I knew this would be a difficult game.

“You have to do certain things and we really concentrated as they have so many different movements and rotations and they are good at it.

“In the first half we didn’t deal with it well enough, they surprised us a little bit by playing two strikers. But once we worked it out, once we controlled the ball, we were pretty dominant in the second half.

“We have picked up six points away from home now having been behind. It is important we continue doing that, it shows good character. There is lot for us to improve on regardless of results. But this is a really good win for us.”

On Fernandez’s winner, Ferguson added: “He picks it up and starts driving in with it as we want our centre-halves to do at times.

“It was difficult as he hit it but there was someone in my way. I was in shock when it went in.”

It is the second week running Exeter have gone in front early but ended up losing the game.

Grecians manager Gary Caldwell said: “It was far too easy for them to shoot at our goal and we have to improve in that area.

“In terms of attitude and effort, the boys gave everything.

“But we have to be more clinical as we seem to ease off after we score.

“Peterborough have speed and power and they finish in the play-offs pretty much every year.

“Their counter-attack was really dangerous and the details to win football matches are not going for us at the moment.

“We did a lot right in the game. They changed their shape and started to play long because our press was so aggressive.

“We conceded two very poor goals from our point of view and we have to do better when we lose the ball.”