Driscoll-King late strike earns Posh Women victory in their final game of the season.
Peterborough United Women secured a fourth-place spot in the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands after a 2-1 victory over Doncaster Rovers Belles on Sunday afternoon in their final game of the season.
Posh started the game brightly and carved out their first opportunity on 14 minutes as Cassie Steward played the ball out wide to Keir Perkins on the left-hand side, she cut inside before firing her effort wide of the post. The two linked up once again on 19 minutes, but Perkins was comfortable for Belles’ goalkeeper.
Abi Coley won the ball back inside the box and fed it to Izzy Gigg whose effort was tame and straight into the hands of Charlotte Hastings. Posh broke the deadlock on 34 minutes as Perkins’ cross found Kirk at the back-post and she headed home the opener.
However, the celebrations were cut short as the hosts found the equaliser five minutes later as Gigg played a one-two on the edge of the area, advanced into the box before slotting her effort past Hastings. Perkins was close to nicking the lead before the break as her effort crashed against the crossbar.
Edyn Osker, who made her first start for Posh Women this season, defended well in the early stages of the second half as Belles threaten with a number of crosses from either side. Dan Lawlor made his first change on 63 minutes as Alicia Podd replaced Steward.
Rosie Axten fired an effort from the edge of the box over the bar before the hosts’ Jess Andrew saw her shot fall into the arms of Hastings. As the game entered the final 10 minutes, the hosts’ Amy Nowell was found just outside the area after some good build-up play, but she fired an effort wide.
Posh found the winner on 86 minutes as Kirk played a lovely ball over the top to Evie Driscoll-King inside the box, she took it down well before smashing home her effort from close-range into the top corner.
Lawlor’s side were down to 10 players in injury-time after Megan Lawlor was sin-binned. Belles looked to capitalise on that as Hastings rushed out to clear the ball, falling to Sophie Scargill and tried her luck from distance, but the Posh goalkeeper recovered in time to collect the ball.
Posh XI: Hastings, Lawrence (Dean, 76min), Osker, Connor, Driscoll-King, York, Steward (Podd, 68min), Lawlor, Axten, Kirk, Perkins.