A dominant first-half performance secures all three points for the Posh Women Development Squad.
Peterborough United Women Development Squad returned to league action on Sunday afternoon and claimed a 2-0 win over Kettering Town Women FC courtesy of a superb all-round team performance.
Posh started the brighter of the two sides and carved their first opportunity inside the opening three minutes as Megan Dellar’s goal-kick fooled the defenders and allowed Taya Smith through on goal, but her shot was safely held by the goalkeeper. Kettering began to respond to the pressure and had a chance of their own on 11 minutes as Lauren Adams' low-driven free-kick was collected by Dellar.
It was the Posh who broke the deadlock though on 26 minutes as a corner was cleared out to Alicia Podd on the edge of the box and she fired her shot low into the bottom left corner. The development squad grew in confidence and continued to cause havoc for the Kettering defence.
Another Dellar goal-kick was poorly judged by the Kettering defence allowing Smith through on goal once again, but her shot was parried away by the goalkeeper, as was the rebound. Posh deservedly doubled the lead on 40 minutes as Kendall O’Connor advanced onto Dellar’s goal-kick and curled her effort into the top left corner.
Kettering had an opportunity to halve the deficit on 64 minutes as a scramble from a corner kick enabled their midfielder to flash a shot wide of the post. Posh regained composure quickly as Smith fired consecutive shots wide of the target, several minutes later.
On 80 minutes, Dellar was forced into a finger-tip save after the Kettering forward pounced on a Posh defensive error and was set free on goal. Edyn Osker had a chance to finish the game off late on as she advanced towards goal on the left but her angles became tight and the ball safely fell to the goalkeeper’s arms.
Manager Shaun Harley said after the game: “It’s a really positive result for us. We played really well and weren’t put under much pressure at all from the opposition. On another day this game could have been 4 or 5-0. I thought we managed the game well, moved the ball well and were sharp with our decision-making. The first half especially was great from the players.”
POSH XI: Dellar, Osker, Barnes, Johnson, King, Moore, Podd, Sharman, Curson, Smith, O’Connor.
Subs Used: Palmer, Wheatley, Goodwin, Richards-Reeves, McMichael.
Written by Lauren Shiels.