Peterborough United Women continue to build on their winning start to the league programme, adding their sixth straight league win at the O’Riordan Bond Stadium against local rivals Northampton Town.
Posh were always a threat and boosted their goal difference too with a 7-3 victory against the Cobblers on a chilly evening with Niamh Reynolds continuing her red hot form with a hat-trick.
Posh looked the more comfortable in the early throes, with Lauren Wilshaw in particular giving the hosts little or no time to settle, threatening twice.
Katie McLean was well placed to make the save on our number 17, and then Evie Driscoll-King, before the hosts made an early move forward count. Cody WEBB got in down the right and crossed for a claret shirt, to her luck, floating all the way in.
Posh responded by pinning the home side back, winning the ball in high areas, where Kira Rai had an attempt put behind for a corner.
And coming up with her second goal in a matter of days, CONNOR headed home the equaliser, meeting a wide cross, in a similar style to her weekend goal, too.
Jake Poole’s side stepped onto their opponents, with the clear feeling that they could push for the lead, which they had on 22 minutes. REYNOLDS shrewdly found her way into the hosts’ penalty area, before the midfielder was tripped and did the rest from 12 yards.
But despite our overall dominance, we were lucky to escape conceding a second when Gabby Maia raced in on goal, only to put the ball past the post.
REYNOLDS then added a little more gloss on the scoreline near to the break. A composed, left-footed strike from our midfielder bent away from McLean, putting us two up against our rivals.
As we expected, things started to liven up, with the hosts harsh in their tackles early in the second half. Northampton then pulled one back, with Alyx MILLS waiting in the middle to put home a wide ball.
Northampton were the architects of their own downfall for our fourth, however. The hosts’ defence made a mess playing out from the back, and REYNOLDS stole in, completing her second hat-trick of the competitive league season.
The goals continued to flow, and this time it was STANFORD with it. She made no mistake, sending the ball beyond McLean from the spot to put us one step closer to settling the rivalry.
Posh showed no signs of slowing down, though. It was already clear that we had one hand on the three points already, but STANFORD all but confirmed it, putting in goal number six from the spot.
Leyla EMINOGLU found one back for the hosts with the whistle nearing. But it was PERKINS who had the final say, cutting inside and finishing past the Cobblers’ keeper to round up a professional team performance on the Nene.
Posh: Corry, Connor, Hines (Sub Hines 78min), Driscoll-King, Rousseau, Brown, Reynolds (sub Mears 80min), Pitt, Wilshaw (sub Perkins 60min), Rai (sub Stanford 60min), James (sub Osker 78min). Unused subs: Sharpe, Lawlor.
Half-time: Northampton Town Women 1-3 Posh Women
Full-time: Northampton Town Women 3-7 Posh Women