Posh Women Development Squad knocked out of the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Plate.
Peterborough United Development Squad bowed out of the East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Plate after a 1-0 defeat to Thrapston Town Ladies on Sunday afternoon at the idverde Training Ground.
Posh carved out an early opportunity inside five minutes as Hannah Murphy’s effort from the halfway line was on-target, but comfortable for the goalkeeper. Lauren King looked to test the keeper from distance, but her effort skimmed past the far-post.
Ellie Curson rattled the woodwork just before the half an hour mark as her effort hit the post before bouncing back into the box, but eventually cleared by the Thrapston Town defence. Posh continued to search for the breakthrough, with Leah Barnes’ free-kick from the edge of the box sailed over the crossbar.
However, it was Thrapston Town Ladies that broke the deadlock just minutes before the break as former Posh player Jenna Lusk converted from close-range following a scramble inside the box.
Despite an even opening stages to the second, with both sides cancelling each other out, it was the visitors who doubled their advantage as another former Posh player, Megan Breakwell, went through one-on-one, took it around Katie Rider, who was the stand-in goalkeeper for this game, and slotted home into the empty net.
Osker looked to cut the deficit with her effort from outside the box, but the goalkeeper was down quickly to push the ball out of play before Alice MacNicol saw her free-kick fly over the crossbar. On 80 minutes, Posh were awarded a penalty and MacNicol calmly converted from the spot-kick to cause a nervy end, but the visitors sealed their place in the next round of the competition.
“It was a lesson for the girls today," stated Development Squad manager Shaun Harley, "we know that they were a physical side and it was difficult with having our only goalkeeper injured, so credit to Katie Rider for stepping in. She did an amazing job and I can't be anything more than proud and positive for the team after today’s game.”
Posh XI: Rider, King, Barnes, Johnson, Osker, Podd, Stubbs, Moore, Smith, Palmer, Richards-Reeves.
Subs Used: Wheatley, MacNicol, Goodwin, Mapleton, Curson.
Written by: Taleasha Layton
Image Credit: Lucy Tibbs (@lucytibbsphoto)