Frankie Pim netted twice to secure a point for Posh Women U23s in season-opener against Wolves.
Peterborough United U23s drew 2-2 with Wolverhampton Wanderers Women Reserves in their opening FA Women’s National League Reserves Midlands Division on Sunday afternoon at the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground after a second-half brace from Frankie Pim.
It was the hosts who started the game the brightest, creating their first chance inside the first minute as Sasha Khayat fired over the crossbar after cutting inside the box from the right. Megan Dellar was forced into a save a minute later as a corner kick was well met by the Wolves forward.
Wolves continued to threaten the Posh defence, with Lyndsey Ross-Baker beating the Posh line and firing an effort at Dellar who parried the ball away. The Posh Women U23s created their first opportunity on 15 minutes as Alicia Podd capitalised on a Wolves defensive mistake, but her shot was parried away by Elise Stocking. Tilly Sands then sent a long-range free-kick inches wide of the post minutes later.
It was Wolves Reserves who broke the deadlock on 24 minutes as Erin Griffiths fired a low-range shot into the bottom corner following initial great defensive work from Dellar and Sands. Posh almost equalised on 36 minutes as Podd advanced on the right and cut the ball back to Maddison Moore, but her shot went over the crossbar.
The hosts doubled their lead on the hour mark as Ross-Baker fired a low effort into the far corner following great footwork to beat the defence. Posh continued to search for a way back into the game as Pim sent a header inches wide of the post before a speculative 40-yard effort from Podd hit the woodwork. Wolves seeked a third goal as right-back Taylor Holdback advanced forward into the box, but dragged her effort wide of the target.
Posh pulled a goal back on 80 minutes as Pim advanced into the box and poked the ball underneath Stocking. Posh piled the pressure on the Wolves' defence as they chased an equaliser, with Ellie Curson forcing Stocking into a fine save before Olivia Wheatley couldn’t connect to a corner properly and headed wide. However, in injury time, Posh found the equaliser as Pim was played through on the left, she turned a defender before calmly chipping the ball over Stocking.
Manager, Michael Allesbrook, spoke after the game: “I can’t fault their determination today in hot conditions, especially to come from two-nil down. Wolves were a good team, they created lots of chances but we told the players at the break to believe in themselves more because they were good enough. They came out after and not only matched Wolves, but outplayed them in the last 20 minutes. It takes a lot of guts to recover from a two-goal deficit, so I couldn’t be prouder of the players today.”
“I’m also pleased for Pim. she’s a young striker and she has been really clinical in front of goal this afternoon and to have the composure to chip the ball over the goalkeeper in added time was brilliant. We know the standard at this level now and we’ve got to produce the form we played in those last 20 minutes in every game. Today we earned that point and it provides a stepping stone for the next games.”
POSH XI: Dellar, Richards-Reeves, Hardy (sub 73 mins, Wheatley), Sands, Copson, Osker, Curson, Moore (sub 73 mins, Akinyemi), Mears, Podd, Pim.
Written by Lauren Shiels.