Peterborough United boss Grant McCann says he hopes the pain of suffering relegation to League One will motivate the players towards promotion next season.
Posh had their fate sealed after falling to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Steve Cooper's high-flying Nottingham Forest side on Saturday. The hosts gave a good account of themselves during the first-half, but a moment of poor concentration allowed the Reds to break away and score.
Philip Zinckernagel and Brennan Johnson both linked-up well having won the ball from a Peterborough United player on the half-way line; the latter drove forwards and floated a cross towards the far post where Sam Surridge headed home his fifth Forest goal of the season.
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Peterborough join Derby County and Barnsley in heading into League One and McCann - who only took over the reins at London Road in February - said he hopes his side will bounce back positively after relegation to the third tier.
"It’s a tough day for everyone,” McCann told the Peterborough Telegraph. “It’s a sad day for the good people who work tirelessly behind the scenes and for the fans who part with their hard earned money at home and away games. We just haven’t been able to deliver for them.
“But after the game I thanked the players for their efforts in the 12 games since I’ve been here. Their determination, effort and attitude has been first-class. We’ve come unstuck in some games, but we went toe-to-toe with the best form team in the league today and lost because of a lapse of concentration just before half-time. We were the better team up to that point.
"The game plan was working, but we missed our chance early on and then got caught by a sucker punch, and then it became difficult. We had moments in the second-half, but the ball wouldn’t fall for us. I now want the players to feel the pain and use it to their advantage next season. The comeback will always be stronger than the setback.
"In my time here I would love us to become a sustainable Championship club, but it’s one step at a time and next season we have to get out of League One."
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