Posh Women Under 23s lose 4-3 to Liverpool Federation Reserves.
A brace from Ellie Curson for Peterborough United Women Under 23s was not enough as they lost 4-3 on Saturday afternoon to Liverpool Federation Reserves in the FA Women’s National League Reserves Plate Final at Broadhurst Park, despite giving a strong performance.
The Under 23s started the game strongly, and took the lead inside the opening two minutes as a CURSON corner curled in at the far post. Posh’ set-pieces continued to cause havoc for Liverpool as Curson’s corner into the box fell to Rebecca Mears, but she saw a close-range effort safely collected by Emily Edmondson. Liverpool immediately responded with their forward firing a volley wide of the post.
Liverpool found an equaliser in the 22nd minute as Millie WILLIAMS headed in from close range. They continued to seek the lead as William’s sent a speculative ball into the box which looked to outwit Megan Dellar, but she recovered well to claim the ball on the goal-line.
Just after the hour mark, Mears collected the ball in the final third; she play Curson through on goal but she dragged her effort wide of the post. Hanna Pennington’s curling effort looked set to fall into the bottom right corner but Dellar tipped the ball around the post. On the stroke of half time, Curson’s corner fell to Edyn Osker but her shot from yards out was well blocked.
It was Liverpool who came out the second half the strongest as inside the opening minutes of the restart Dellar was forced into action, parrying the ball around the post from a curling effort at goal. Seren Carrington’s was met well by Dellar shortly after.
The Posh Women Under 23s grew back into the game and took the lead once again, as Taya Smith held the ball up in the final third, played the ball to CURSON who fired into the top right corner from distance, but SANTOS-COSTA soon equalised Liverpool then took the lead as Sophie COWARD advanced into the box before calmly slotting into the near post from yards out.
Nine minutes later, Posh equalised as Curson advanced into the box before playing a low ball across goal which was diverted into the net by a Liverpool defender. As legs began to tire, and the game widening out, a free-kick was floated into the box by Liverpool but was saved comfortably by Dellar before Sands recovered well on the counter attack.
With the game looking set to go to penalties, Liverpool took the lead deep into stoppage time as Natalie CLARK headed in from a corner from close range.
Manager, Michael Allsebrook, spoke after the game: “We’re obviously disappointed with the outcome. We made it hard for ourselves at times, especially when out of possession. You could tell the girls’ were getting leggy out there on the heavy pitch as the game wore on. But fair play to Liverpool, they are a really good side and deserved the win. The players are upset – they are going to be – but the overarching emotion today from us all is pride. We’ve learnt a lot from today and we will take that into next Sunday at Stoke and then go again next season.”
“Our targets at the start of the season were to get players into the first team fold and if we could try to be successful in the league and cups. I think we have certainly overachieved these expectations. We have shown we have really good players at this club and to finish where we have in the league and how far we have come in both cup competition demonstrates that.”
Posh: Dellar, Richards-Reeves, Sands, Osker, King (sub Moore 65min), Podd, Curson, Abrantes, Mears (sub Akinyemi 90min), Smith (sub. Lloyd-Edwards 61min), Bale.
Unused Subs: Robinson, Neto.
Half Time: Peterborough United Women U23s 1-1 Liverpool Federation Reserves
Full Time: Peterborough United Women U23s 3-4 Liverpool Federation Reserves
- Photo Credit: Keira Thurston
By Lauren Shiels