Posh Women rue missed chances as they fall to defeat to Leek Town Ladies.
Peterborough United Women suffered a 2-0 defeat to Leek Town Ladies on Sunday afternoon at The F. Ball Community Stadium in their penultimate game of the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands campaign.
The hosts enjoyed a good spell in the opening stages of the game as Jade Treanor saw her curling effort fall straight into the hands of Charlotte Hastings. Jennifer Jacques then met a cross from the left-hand side, but her header failed to test the Posh goalkeeper.
Posh’s first opportunity fell on seven minutes as Tara played a lovely weighted pass through to Keir Perkin, who advanced into the box but her effort was well-held by Bethany Cottrell. The deadlock was broken on 11 minutes and it was the hosts who opened the scoring as a cross from left-hand side was taken by Jacques inside the box and her effort was deflected past Hastings and into the back of the net.
Dan Lawlor’s side looked for an instant reply as Perkins’ cross was met by Kirk, but she guided her header wide of the far-post. Rosie Axten then saw her curling left-footed effort wide of the post.
Kirk forced Cottrell into action on 20 minutes as a lofted ball found Kirk inside the box and her effort on the half-volley was pushed away by the hosts’ keeper. Hastings’ then produced a fantastic save to keep the deficit down, getting fingertips on Katie Gibbons’ effort to push it around the post.
Posh kept pushing for an equaliser before the break and came inches away from achieving as Megan Lawlor’s corner found Evie Driscoll-King at the back-post, but her header smashed against the underside of the crossbar and was cleared.
Leek Town Ladies doubled their lead on 50 minutes and Jacques advanced down the right-hand side and her cross looped over Hastings and into the back of the net. Perkins turned her defender nicely in the centre circle, advanced into the box and forced the Cottrell into a good save with her feet.
Lawlor’s side continued to search for a way back into the game, with Perkins trying her luck from the edge of the box but her left-footed shot was comfortable for the keeper. Kayleigh Aylmer’s free-kick then found Kirk racing through on-goal, but the forward dragged her effort wide.
Posh XI: Hastings, Dean (Aylmer, 46min), Connor, Mugridge, York, Steward (McConville, 67min), Driscoll-King (Osker, 81min), Lawlor, Axten (Curson, 81min), Kirk, Perkins.
Subs Not Used: Dellar.
Photo credit: @rubyredphoto.