Peterborough United Women humbled at home by Derby County
Manager Jake Poole described Sunday’s National League defeat to Derby County at PIMS Park on Sunday as a ‘humbling’ experience.
Posh went down 3-0 to a team who had started the day alongside Poole’s side on three points. Posh are now bottom of the table with one win and four defeats in five matches, but the bottom six are separated by just three points.
Posh are in League Cup action at home to Leicester City Under 23s next Sunday (September 27, 2pm kick off) before returning to Northern Premier League action at Middlesbrough on October 4. Boro are also stuck on three points. Posh hope to have strengthened their squad before then.
Poole said: “It was a humbling experience, individually and collectively. We were nowhere near the level required for 30-35 minutes. We weren't hungry, we didn’t recover well when we lost possession and our quality was poor when we had possession against a disciplined and well drilled side.
“We didn’t press and we lost every duel so we went 2-0 down which at this level means a difficult afternoon.
"We were better in the second-half, but a third goal killed us, yet it was the first-half performance that really cost us. We know there are no easy games at this level, but we also know we have players of quality who can compete. We've shown it in games, but we need to show it in every training session and every match.
"If we are not at our best we won’t win be competitive or win games. The league is so open we are not in big trouble yet.”
Derby scored twice in the first 20 minutes and another midway through the second-half. Top scorer Ellie May did hit the woodwork twice for Posh who also saw decent efforts from Poppie Brown and NIamh Reynolds.
Posh: Corry, Mears, (sub Andersen, 80 mins), Pitt, Jenkins, Osker, Reynolds (sub Ganado, 58 mins), Perkins (sub Rai, 58 mins), Driscoll, Wilshaw, May, Brown (sub Saunders, 80 mins). Unused sub: Connor.