City face League Two's deadliest duo at Peterborough on Saturday with Paul Heckingbottom insisting: We can stop them again.

Charlton target Aaron McLean is the country's hottest marksman with 18 goals and strike partner Craig Mackail-Smith has hit 13 to spearhead ambitious Posh's push for promotion.

Peterborough have failed to hit the net only twice in 20 league games so far - but one of those blanks was at Valley Parade.

And full back Heckingbottom is calling for another show of resolute defending to spike their guns in the London Road return clash.

"In football you're only as good as your front two and Peterborough's strikers are why they are at the top," he said.

"The front two have been banging in goals but then they've been creating lots of chances. I know it's easier playing in a team that's creating a lot like that.

"But the reason we beat them at home 1-0 was because we defended well from front to back. It wasn't just the back four but the whole team which stopped them from creating much, even though they had a lot of the ball.

"And we're going to have to do exactly the same if we want anything from Saturday's game."

City, who sit 16 points behind third-placed Posh, kick off a run of four matches in ten days which they need to use as a launch-pad to make up ground to mid-table.

Heckingbottom admits a positive result on Saturday would be the perfect way to start.

"Coming away from Peterborough with a point would be good and maybe that's a point that a lot of other visiting teams won't manage to get. We've raised our performance in a lot of the big games. It's just important not to get beaten and keep our little run going. We're five undefeated now in the league and seem to have a bit of fighting spirit - we've gone behind but come back to win points.

"It's going to be tough because Peterborough will want to bounce back from losing to MK Dons last week and close the gap at the top again but it would have been anyway.

"But if we can get at least a point then it will set us up nicely for the two home games that are coming up. We beat them at home so we know we can do it."

Heckingbottom's six-month loan from Barnsley is up after the holiday schedule and he is hopeful of staying put for the rest of the season.

The 2003-2004 player of the year has only one regret about returning to Valley Parade - the current league position.

"If I'd not enjoyed my time here before then maybe I wouldn't have come back. But I did enjoy myself so I knew what to expect from the club.

"I just wish we were higher up that league and challenging because that's what makes everything worthwhile."

Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson is adamant McLean will not be unsettled by talk of a rejected £2m bid from Charlton.

Ferguson said: "The speculation is an inevitable consequence of the goals Aaron and Craig have scored but we don't have to sell anyone.

"Aaron is an ambitious lad but he can achieve what he wants with us."

McLean, like Mackail-Smith, was snapped up by Posh from non-league. He has netted 28 goals in 48 games since making a £150,000 move from Grays 14 months ago.

He said: "It's great to be linked with clubs like Charlton because it suggests that I'm doing the right things. But I've been in the game long enough to know not to take any notice of stuff in the paper.

"I'm very happy at Posh and that is a major reason why I'm doing well. I'm in the best form of my life and the club is in a great position to go up this season.

"I'm determined to ignore all the speculation anyway. I will be giving my all as usual against Bradford as all I'm thinking about is helping Posh to promotion."

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