Posh Women U23s beaten by The Imps on Sunday afternoon.
Peterborough United Women U23s recorded a 6-4 loss on Sunday afternoon against league leaders Lincoln City Women Development in the FA Women’s National League Reserves Midlands Division at the idverde Training Ground.
Posh started the game the brightest as they carved out the first chance of the game inside four minutes as Ellie Curson cut the ball back to Alicia Podd on the edge of the box, but her effort skied the crossbar. On 11 minutes, Posh made the breakthrough as Curson’s corner caused havoc in the box, falling kindly to Tilly Sands who fired low past the goalkeeper.
The under 23s continued their ruthlessness in front of goal as they extended their lead on 18 minutes as Taya Smith set forward on the counterattack, played a one-two with Frankie Pim, who cut inside and fired a low shot into the left corner. The Imps’ cut the deficit instantly as they pushed numbers into the box with Holly Wilson firing low into the bottom left corner past the diving Megan Dellar. On the halfway mark of the first half, Wilson chased an equaliser but her shot was well held by Dellar.
Lincoln levelled minutes later as Dellar initially tipped an effort onto the crossbar, but the ball fell kindly to Wilson who guided the ball into the empty net. Just after the half-hour mark, Posh retook the lead as Elloise Copson delivered an enticing cross into the box which was met by Pim and she tapped the ball home from six yards out. Wilson continued to cause trouble for Posh as she hit the woodwork from outside the box. Pim had the chance to extend Posh’ lead on the stroke of half time as she headed Curson’s corner towards goal, but her effort was cleared off the line by the Lincoln defender.
It was Lincoln who started the second half the brightest with Phoebe Richards-Reeves called into action as she cleared the ball off the line as the Imps’ forward dribbled around Dellar and drove a shot towards goal. Pim grabbed her hat-trick on 49 minutes as she controlled an inviting through ball, cut inside the box and curled an effort past the goalkeeper into the top right corner.
10 minutes later, Lincoln reduced Posh’s lead as Wilson tapped in an effort following a low cross into the box for her third of the game. On 66 minutes, Neve Hincks equalises for Lincoln following good build-up play. Lincoln continued to press on the front foot and took the lead in the 71st minute as Hincks collected the ball and lobbed Dellar from outside the box. Posh continued to have chances of their own, with substitute Zina Cheikh delivering a high cross to Pim in the box but her header brushed the woodwork. Lincoln added a sixth goal in the final minute as Hincks half-volleyed over Dellar from outside the box.
Manager Michael Allsebrook said after the game: “It has been a frustrating afternoon. We’ve just spoken to the girls in the dressing room about attitude and application, and about doing enough to win the game. We had periods where we were controlling the game and playing well, but there were other areas of the game where we weren’t good enough and, ultimately, a ruthless side like Lincoln capitalised on those errors.”
“We started the game well, which is a real improvement on our opening two games of the season. We had 16-17 shots today, if a few of those were taken more clinically the scoreline could have looked a lot different. We are delighted for Frankie to get her hat-trick, she’s a great player who puts her a shift in. We go again in the league next week, so we’ve got to learn quickly, address the individual errors and stamp them out of our game. We’ve shown today that we can go and perform at a high level, we’ve just got to show all over the pitch that we are capable of winning.”
Posh XI: Dellar, Copson, Sands, Osker, Richards-Reeves (sub 62 min, King), Podd, Moore (sub 70 min, Bale), Curson, Mears, Smith (sub 71 min, Cheikh), Pim.
Lincoln XI: Lacey, Munn, Robinson, Faishaw, Baird, Steadman, Rilev, Briar, Wilson, Arfou, Hincks.
Subs: Hitchman, Bensiah, Marshall, Oliver.
Written by Lauren Shiels
Photo Credit: Darren Wiles