Perfect Peterborough United Women are tantalisingly close to a National League title after hard-fought win

Posh came through a tough examination from Barnsley at PIMS Park with a Kira Rai goal just past the half hour mark ultimately settling the contest in dreadful conditions.

The win leaves Posh within a victory from their final three matches of securing top spot. Those points ought to arrive at ninth-placed Kidderminster Harriers in their next outing on Sunday, April 12.

Poole said: “We’re in a really exciting position. It was important we went into the break with a win and now we want to make sure we get the job done at Kidderminster as we really don’t want to take it into the final two games. That won’t be easy as they are fighting for survival, just as we knew Barnsley wouldn’t be easy.

“We were very disciplined against Barnsley. It wasn’t the prettiest of games and we certainly weren’t at our most fluent. The conditions didn’t help as it was windy and the pitch was bumpy.

"It wasn’t the best game to watch, but one moment of quality won it for us against a very good side. The move for the goal was very good starting with Poppie Brown and Jess Rousseau, who was very good all game, delivered the perfect ball for KIra who always takes up great positions at the back post.”

Perfect home form is one huge reason for the Posh success. This was a 10th win out of 10 home games, nine at PIMS Park and one at the Weston Homes Stadium.

This was the hardest of tests though before Posh managed to stretch their unbeaten record to 19 games. They’ve won all but two of those matches and one of their draws arrived at Barnsley so Posh knew they would have to be on top of their game to triumph today.

Barnsley threatened early when Jemima Jarvis had a couple of opportunities, but Edyn Osker rescued the first situation before the visiting forward scuffed her second attempt wide.

Posh took a while to warm up before top scorer Rousseau had an effort palmed away by Barnsley goalkeeper Serena Clarke on 25 minutes and Rai was denied on the follow-up.

But the pair combined to claim the opening, and as it turned out the only, goal in the 33rd minute, with Rousseau’s drilled cross finding an unmarked Rai close to goal and she made no mistake.

Rousseau was then denied by Clarke, but Barnsley's only sniff of a second-half goal came and went when Maddi Green’s shot was claimed by Posh ‘keeper Neive Corry.

There was also a welcome glimpse of the Posh future as Under 18 Academy player Jess Short came on for her first-team debut for the final 10 minutes.

"There was a spot available with Niamh Reynolds suspended and Meg Lawlor and Courtney Clarke injured, and Jess grabbed it,” Poole added. “I had no worries about sending her on when the game was still in the balance. She shows what great work our Academy is doing. We had five or six players involved in the game from within our own Academy.”

Wins for Boldmere St Michaels and Leafield Athletic meant Posh couldn’t celebrate a title success after a 17th win in 19 unbeaten games, but it was just a case of delaying the inevitable.

Posh: Corry, Connor, Hines, Driscoll-king, Rousseau, Brown (sub Short, 80 mins), Perkins (sub Wilshaw, 70 mins), Stanford (sub Mears, 61 mins), Rai (sub Kirk, 70 mins), Pitt, Osker. Unused sub: Sharpe.

Standings: POSH P19 53pts, 2 Boldmere SM P20 48pts, 3 Leafield P19 46pts, 4 Barnsley P20 38pts, 5 Worcester P20 32pts, 6 Sheffield P17 26pts, 7 Northampton P19 21pts, 8 Notts County P20 19pts, 9 Kidderminster P19 18pts, 10 Sutton Coldfield P19 16pts, 11 Stourbridge P19 15pts, 12 Lincoln Utd P19 2pts.

Posh also have Sheffield (away, April 19) and Stourbridge (home, April 26) to play.