Nicole Perschky’s fine finish opens the scoring before Boro are pegged back as QPR score three
Friendly
Stevenage Ladies FC’s inaugural match saw them put on a fine display only to go down 3-1 at home to QPR.
The team, managed by Josie North and Dave Potter, matched their opponents in a strong first-half showing, but after a more youthful reserve side took to the field in the second half, the visitors knocked in two goals to take the victory in front of a sizeable crowd at the Lamex Stadium.
Stevenage, who will play in the Women’s Football League Premiership next season, took the lead after just three minutes when a neat bit of build-up play resulted in Nicole Perschky coolly finishing in the bottom corner.
Captain Josie North executed a nice turn in midfield before setting Becky Shepherd on her way, and once played in, and with just the goalkeeper to beat, Pershcky flicked the ball in off the outside of her boot before wheeling away in celebration.
QPR went on the attack two minutes later, but Gemma Rudman’s header from a corner was kept out by Keri Green.
The visitors went close just before the half-hour mark when Danielle Murphy struck a low drive that pinged back off the Boro woodwork before being cleared.
QPR’s persistence then paid off when substitute Kasha Petit used her pace to get in behind before crossing for Katie Wilding who drilled a low shot past Green to make it 1-1, which is how it stayed until the break.
Substitute keeper Emily Wheeler was called into action early in the second period when she had to get her arms in the way of a close-range shot from QPR’s No.19
Petit then found some space in the box after a neat turn and tucked her shot away underneath Wheeler to put QPR 2-1 up.
A third followed with 30 minutes left in the match, the ball poked under the Boro goalkeeper from the edge of the box.
QPR could not add to their tally as Stevenage matched them more evenly as the half progressed, and although Wheeler had to make a decent stop late on the game finished without further incident.
Att: 780
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