The Peterborough United 'Invincibles' lift the National Midlands Division One trophy after completing an unbeaten season in style
Peterborough United Women completed their unbeaten National League season in superb style with a 7-0 win over Stourbridge at PIMS Park.
‘The Invincibles’ won 20 and drew two of their 22 Midlands Division One matches to win the title by eight points. They are likely to be competing in the Northern Premier Division next season.
Top scorer Jess Rousseau completed a six-minute hat-trick to get Posh up and running in the first-half and later added a fourth goal in front of a bumper crowd in excess of 400 who got to see the team lift the trophy after the game.
Central defender Niamh Connor, full-back Evis Driscoll-King and forward Tara Kirk also netted on a day when Emily Sharpe, Kayleigh Hines and Megan Lawlor made their final appearances for the club. All have retired.
It was all one-way traffic from the first whistle with Hines firing wide early on before Niamh Reynolds and Anna Pitt went close while the goalkeeper for Stourbridge produced a superb stop to keep out Rousseau.
However, Rosseau did find the breakthrough on 22 minutes as a quickly-taken throw-in from Driscoll-King provided Poppie Brown with a chance to cross and her low centre was tapped home from close-range.
On 26 minutes, Rousseau doubled the lead as she tapped home after more good work in the build-up and two minutes later she completed her quickfire hat-trick.
It was 4-0 on 48 minutes as Connor continued her fine run of scoring with a composed finish.
It was 5-0 just before the hour mark as Rousseau grabbed her fourth goal, this time creating the space and lashing an excellent effort into the back of the net.
Nine minutes from time, substitute Kirk got her name on the scoresheet as she headed home a right-wing cross. The scoring was complete when Driscoll-King fired home from distance.
Rousseau also hit the bar and there were further opportunities with Keir Perkins denied by a fine save.
Posh: Corry, Connor (sub Clarke, 46 mins), Driscoll-King, James, Pitt (sub Sharpe, 66 mins), Brown, Hines (sub Lawlor 66, mins), Reynolds (sub Rai 68 mins), Wilshaw (sub Kirk, 68 mins), Perkins, Rousseau. Unused subs: Osker, Stanford.