Posh Women Under 23s draw level with Doncaster Belles Reserves.
Peterborough United Women Under 23s secured their first point of the FA Women’s National League Reserves Midlands Division on Sunday afternoon as they drew 1-1 with Doncaster Belles Reserves at Stadium Way courtesy of an injury time free-kick from Kendal O’Connor.
After a minutes’ silence in memory of Maddy Cusack, the game started slowly with neither side testing the goalkeepers. The first chance to break the deadlock fell just after the quarter hour mark as the hosts pounced on a poor pass from the Posh defence, but the forward dragged her effort wide of the post. The Belles’ took the lead in the 27th minute as a cross into the box was tapped in at the far post.
Posh reacted well as O’Connor delivered a cross along the six-yard box but no player in blue could connect, before Georgie Oliver dribbled into the box but saw her effort parried away by the goalkeeper.
The hosts came out firing in the second half as Dellar was forced into immediate action as the winger aimed from a tight angle. Substitute Alice Akinyemi headed Ellie Curson’s free-kick just wide of the post after the hour mark. Michael Allsebrook’s squad responded well as shouts for a penalty were waved away just before Curson fired inches wide from distance.
Dellar was forced into action with five minutes to spare as she tipped a well struck free-kick around the post. Posh equalised deep into stoppage time as O’CONNOR curled her free-kick into the top left corner to secure the Under 23s first point of the season.
Michael Allsebrook spoke after the game: “I’m delighted with the performance today. I think the first half we weren’t at our best, we were too keen to play balls into areas. Fair play to Doncaster; they played really well, they’re a young talented aggressive side. Today was a really important day for us, the squad needed something positive to hold onto. We knew we needed to stop leaking goals in and they played well defensively today, albeit at the expense of not performing as well as we have been at the other end. The back four did well today, aside from the goalkeeper Megan (Dellar) hasn’t had much to do.
“When the free-kick came, the girls were looking around – our usual takers were off the pitch but Kendal (O’Connor) is a good technical player. She’s got so much potential and her strike was a worthy equaliser. I felt we deserved the point and it’s something to take home with us and kick start our season.”
Posh XI: Dellar, Richards-Reeves, Sands, Podd, Abrantes, Curson, Oliver, Mears, O’Connor, Smith, Gee.
Subs Used: Akinyemi, Cooper, Iyawa, Moore, Riley.