Northampton Town Women lost 2-1 away to Peterborough United in the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands on Sunday afternoon.
Jade Bell scored the Cobblers’ goal as they fell to a late defeat.
Joint-managers Josh Oldfield and Liam Williams made one change to the team that lost at home to Leafield Athletic last week, as Kim Farrow replaced TJ Warren in the starting lineup.
Both sides created chances in a competitive opening 45 minutes.
Emily Brett stretched to divert Frankie Pim’s cross towards goal and Katie McLean tipped the ball over the bar, whilst Jade Bell flicked it on and Alex Dicks hit the side-netting with an effort from a tight angle at the other end.
The Cobblers came inches from taking the lead on the quarter-of-an-hour mark as Fay Noble slid Laila Channell through, the defender hit the base of the post and Bell’s follow-up was blocked on the line.
Peterborough opened the scoring five minutes later when Megan Lawlor’s corner was nodded in by Evie Driscoll-King at the far post.
The visitors equalised shortly afterwards. Dicks sprinted onto a loose defensive pass and lobbed Neive Corry, and Bell volleyed home from close range.
There were opportunities at both ends in the early stages of the second period. Dicks ran onto Farrow’s quick throw-in and forced Corry into a save at the near post, before Katie Middleton broke into the box and blazed over.
Dicks had two more chances in the last 10 minutes, rounding Corry from Channell’s side-footed pass and firing into the side-netting before running onto Farrow’s hooked ball over the top of the defence and having a shot across goal beaten away by the ‘keeper.
The Cobblers had momentum behind them late on, but it was their opponents who would score the winner in added time when substitute Renai Bennett found the top corner from long range.
Oldfield and Williams’ side face Peterborough again in the Northamptonshire FA Women’s Cup final next week. The county cup final will kick-off at 2pm at The Dog and Duck Ground, the home of Wellingborough Town.
Cobblers: Katie McLean, Laila Channell, Bianca Luttman, Vicky Barrett, Ruby Heselden, Zoe Boote, Georgia Gale, Kim Farrow, Fay Noble, Alex Dicks, Jade Bell
Substitutes: Paige Ridley, TJ Warren, Mia Richards, Ona Ndefo, Paris Mallon
Photos: Clive Stapleton
