Peterborough United Women made it 21 league games unbeaten after a goal in each half from Jessica Stanford and Jess Rousseau.
Peterborough United Women completed another league double, this time over Sheffield FC who fell victim to a professional performance from Jake Poole’s team.
The game started openly for both sides despite the eight changes made to our team, though we had the better of the chances as we looked to build on last week’s title success.
Rebecca Mears had the best chances, beating the Sheffield defender for pace in the first instance before shooting wide twice, both from similar positions.
Our number 29 then looked to turn provider when she crossed for Tara Kirk, but her cross was well cut out by a team who tend to rarely leak goals at home.
Edyn Osker then headed away Lucy Trail’s delivery behind for a corner, where only a combination of Posh bodies on the line stopped the hosts from making it 1-0.
Kira Rai continued to cause a threat in wide areas and again cut the ball back into an inviting area, where this time Meg Lawlor’s low shot was the latest to be blocked by Sheffield’s rearguard.
Rai then saw an effort flash wide with nine minutes of the first half left to play before Halima Esse was afforded time and space at the other end, where it was then our turn to defend strongly through Edyn Osker.
STANFORD gave us the lead two minutes later when the midfielder kept her composure in check and finished into the bottom corner after Kirk had originally done well to keep the ball alive.
Poole’s team came out from the break determined to complete the job, and the second goal nearly arrived when a combination of the woodwork and a Sheffield defender went in the way of Stanford’s cross.
Neive Corry – who last week won the league’s Golden Glove award – didn’t have much to do in truth, but when she did, our number 13 covered her angles well to deny the home side a goal back.
Mears had a couple of opportunities on the hour, but both attempts went high and wide as we went in search of number two.
Posh did get away with one, however, when Emily Sharpe recovered well as the last defender to deny Sheffield the leveller after a defensive area.
And at the other end, the hosts were punished when ROUSSEAU made her mark minutes after coming on to ensure another three points went our way.
Posh: Corry, Hines, Sharpe, Kirk (sub Rousseau 81min), Lawlor (sub Perkins 81min), Stanford (sub Stanford 81min), Rai (sub Perkins 71min), Clarke, James, Osker (sub Pitt 71min), Mears.