Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson paid tribute to his side for bouncing back from their midweek defeat to Doncaster with a 3-0 home win over Scunthorpe.

George Boyd scored twice, the second from the penalty spot, either side of a Craig Mackail-Smith effort, to earn Posh just their second success of the season and lift them out of the Championship relegation zone.

Ferguson said: "I asked for a response from the players and that is exactly what I got.

"The manner of our defeat in Doncaster in midweek really hurt me. It was probably the worst performance in the near three years I've been here.

"We had to make amends and we were very clear and deserving winners. If we perform to this standard on a regular basis we will be fine.

"Keeping a first clean sheet of the season was a real bonus."

Boyd broke the deadlock in the 25th minute with a fine half-volley from just inside the area after the Scunthorpe defence had failed to clear a Tommy Rowe corner.

Rowe was required to clear off his own line twice in a matter of seconds to deny Paul Hayes at the other end before the hosts went further ahead on the stroke of half-time.

Scunthorpe defender Jordan Spence failed to cut out a Lee Frecklington pass as Mackail-Smith raced into the area to slide the ball past advancing keeper Joe Murphy and double the lead.

Jonathan Forte hit the bar with an overhead kick as Scunthorpe rallied, but Boyd made of the points for Posh 12 minutes from time as he beat Murphy from the spot after Michael O'Connor had sent Charlie Lee tumbling.

Referee Mike Jones, the man who incorrectly allowed Darren Bent's winner for Sunderland against Liverpool despite it deflecting into the net off a beach ball, was right to award the penalty.

Scunthorpe chief Nigel Adkins had no complaints about the scoreline.

He said: "Goals change games and it was Peterborough who put their chances away.

"The second goal on the stroke of half-time was a real killer. Jordan made a costly mistake and that left us with a mountain to climb.

"But Peterborough is a seriously tough place to visit. You don't just turn up here and get a win."