Ferguson rues McClean near-miss

Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson was left to rue his failure to sign James McClean after watching the Sunderland winger help knock his team out of the FA Cup at London Road.

McClean won the free-kick that led to Sunderland's opener from a Sebastian Larsson dead ball before glancing home a header just before the hour to help the Wearsiders through to a fourth-round tie against local rivals Middlesbrough.

"I know him well. We had him here. I spoke to him, met him and I thought we had the deal done, but unfortunately Sunderland came in at the last minute," Ferguson said.

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