Megan Lawlor In Action

Posh Women knocked out of the FA Women's National League Plate.

A depleted Peterborough United Women side bowed out of the FA Women’s National League on Sunday afternoon after a 4-0 defeat to Stourbridge Women at the Abbey Lawn.

Dan Lawlor made several changes to his starting eleven in order to rest some key players ahead of next week’s FA Cup, with Eden Bailey making her first start for the club alongside Development Squad players Nicole Hendrick and Anderia Oliveria involved once again.

It was a game of very few chances inside the opening 15 minutes, with Stourbridge creating opportunities but failed to test Kira Markwell between the sticks. However, Stourbridge opened the scoring on 18 minutes as Hannah Fishwick got around Niamh Connor before poking the ball past Markwell and into the back of the net.

Markwell produced a fantastic save as Lyndsey Glover was played through and went one-on-one with the Posh goalkeeper, forcing Markwell into showing some quick reflexes from close-range. Posh created their first opportunity on 30 minutes as Driscoll breezed past two players and fed the ball out wide to Aylmer, who found Maeve Brown inside the box and she fired her effort wide.

On 34 minutes, Aylmer’s cross from the right found Anderia Oliveria, but her touch was heavy and allowed Amie Preston to collect the ball. Aylmer was then involved in another chance for Posh, playing a quick one-two with Brown on the edge of the box but the forward just dragged her effort wide.

Stourbridge doubled their lead just a minute into the second half as Glover’s free-kick was met by Alex Nicklin, who looped her header over Markwell and into the back of the net. It quickly became three for the visitors as Fishwick advanced into the box unchallenged before squaring to Nicklin to double her tally.

Dan Lawlor made two changes on 55 minutes as Megan Lawlor and Cassie Steward were both replaced by Jess Evans and Lucie Mugridge. Oliveria went the closest in the second half for Posh as her effort from the edge of the box hit the side-netting.

Evans was forced to come off on 71 minutes after picking up a slight injury and was replaced by Larissa Fredrick before Eden Bailey also suffered a nasty injury as substitute Neive Corry was forced to play outfield for the remaining 15 minutes.

Stourbridge added a fourth on 82 minutes as Sarah Hazell worked the ball to Kiera Scarlett, who took one touch before calmly slotting the ball into the bottom corner and sealed their place in the next round of the FA Women’s National League Plate.

Posh XI: Markwell, Bailey (Corry, 76min), Connor, Driscoll-King, Hendrick, Steward (Evans, 54min (Fredrick, 71min) Driscoll, Oliveria, Aylmer, Brown, Lawlor (Mugridge, 54 min).

Photo credit: Ruby Red Photography (@rubyredphoto)