Two late goals saw the Northampton Town Ladies edged out 3-1 by their Peterborough United counterparts at the PTS Academy Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Cobblers made a positive start and Francesca Partridge was close early on, but it took some excellent defending from Maddy O'Neill at the other end to keep the Posh at bay.
The visitors did take the lead just after the quarter of an hour mark, Keir Perkins volleying home a ball over the top of the Cobblers defence.
Northampton Town responded well though. Aimee Smith shot wide across the keeper and that was a sign of things to come, as moments later skipper Alex Bartlett provided the assist for Abbie Reboul to level the scores.
Reboul was close to a second shortly afterwards and with 35 minutes on the clock, Emma Billenness struck the cross bar with a powerful free kick from outside the area.
The woodwork was rattled at the other end as half time approached as Laura Beckett struck the post for the Posh. The visitors ended the first half on top, and Cobblers keeper Jade Smallbones tipped a Hannah Pendred shot wide as the first forty five ended in parity.
Billenness tried her luck from distance early in the second half, but the keeper was in the right place to make the save.
The Posh got on the front foot as the second half progressed and it took some outstanding defending from Naomi Dauncey, supported by some excellent keeping from Smallbones to keep the visitors at bay, before they hit the post for the second time with a long range free kick.
Peterborough's pressure told on 86 minutes when they scored from close range following a corner, and the victory was sealed thanks to a Donna McGuigan penalty in stoppage time.