A much-changed Peterborough United side beaten in a National League Cup derby by Cambridge United
A much-changed Peterborough United Women’s team were beaten 2-1 in the National League Cup at PIMS Park on Sunday.
Posh are prioritising a National League promotion push this season, but their strength in depth was apparent as they fought back from a 2-0 half-time deficit to almost claim a draw in front of over 400 fans.
Goals from prolific scorer Jade Bell – a regular thorn in Posh sides from her days as a Northampton Town player – and Mia Richards put Cambridge in control before a visiting defender diverted a cross from Lauren Wilshaw into her own net 12 minutes from time to set up a grandstand finish.
But the equaliser wouldn’t come so Posh bade farewell to the chances of progressing in the competition after losing their opening two group games.
Captain Keir Perkins had been denied by an onrushing goalkeeper in the opening stages before Bell’s precise finish gave Cambridge a 16th minute lead. That advantage was doubled four minutes later when a speculative effort from Richards dropped into the corner of the net.
Posh ‘keeper Neive Corry did superbly to top a fierce drive onto the crossbar later in the half, just after a Wilshaw corner had struck a post.
Posh dominated possession in the second period with Courtney Clarke, Wilshaw, Emily Meli and Renai Bennett all threatening the Cambridge goal, but when the reply did eventually arrive it was too little too late.
Posh play at the same National League level as Cambridge, but in different divisions. Posh are top of Midlands Division One and host newly-promoted Sheffield at PIMS Park next Sunday (September 14, 2pm) when they will seek to extend their perfect start to four matches.
Posh: Corry, Driscoll-King, Sharpe, Connor (sub Osker 62 mins), Curson (sub James 46 mins), Clarke (sub Lawlor 62 mins), Mears, Stanford (sub Bennett 46 mins), Perkins (sub Meli 62 mins), Wilshaw, Andersen.