The struggling Saddlers arrived at Saturday's clash on the back of a dismal run of results which had seen them defeated in seven of their last eight league outings, leaving them four points adrift of safety, unsurprisingly putting them among the favourites for relegation.
However, goals from top-scorer Andy Cook, Posh defender Daniel Lafferty (OG), and summer signing Josh Gordon saw the Saddlers take three welcome points as they cut the gap to several of their relegation rivals and take their battle to beat the drop to next weekend's season-ending clash with Shrewsbury Town.
Speaking to various sections of local media, Martin said; "My feelings are mixed really if I’m honest. That’s what I’ve felt the boys can produce since I came here with Dean Keates. Yes, we won the game and we showed what we can produce against a team going for the Play-Offs.
"It’s one of those where my team talk before the game was exactly like it was the previous three or four games. But when you demand that players run about and show energy, pride and desire, all the things I’ve mentioned the last three weeks, and they actually do it, that’s the performance and result you get."
Despite looking all-but relegated over recent weeks, the result means Walsall will now go to Shrewsbury's Montgomery Waters Meadow with a chance of securing a spot in League One for at least another season. Something which seemed impossible just a few short days ago.
51-year-old O'Connor was glad to be able to get his side back to winning ways and went on to look ahead to the upcoming clash with the Shrews, admitting that if the Saddlers can produce another performance like the one the displayed against the Posh, then he'll be a happy man.
Martin added; "We’ve one game left against our local rivals and this takes us into the last game of the season with something to play for. Irrespective of what happens elsewhere on Saturday, we’ve got to produce another performance like that – if we do, then I’ll be happy, irrespective of our status.
"It showed today what can happen when we give the boys instructions and work on things all week that it can come to fruition. I said before the Accrington game that I wanted it to go to the last game of the season.
"We’ve had chances against other teams when we should have produced and we didn’t and that’s been frustrating and disappointing. But if the fans see some desire, a tackle, a cross, a shot, they will get behind you and that’s what happened today.
"I know the Walsall fans and I know that’s all they wanted. That’s the first time we’ve really performed to a level where I think we should be and if that was the case we wouldn’t be in this position now. But at least we’ve taken it to the last game of the season."