Norwich City Women 2 Queens Park Rangers 2

Norwich City were held to a draw by Queens Park Rangers as over 5,000 spectators flocked to Carrow Road for the women's team’s first game there this calendar year.

QPR striker Grace Stanley provided the first moment of quality in a frantic opening period, firing past Sarah Quantrill from range to give the visitors the lead.

On the half hour mark, City drew themselves level when Rachel Lawrence beat QPR goalkeeper Nicole Melling with a brilliant 40-yard chip. The hosts then capitalised fully on a poor spell from the Rs three minutes later, when Ellie Smith bundled the ball home from close range after Alice Parker’s cut-back.

However, City were unable to take their new-found lead into the break, as the deadly Stanley took full advantage of a defensive mix-up to net her second goal of the afternoon in first-half stoppage time.

After the interval, City pushed for a third goal to try and keep the pressure on league leaders AFC Wimbledon, who they face in South London next week, but it did not arrive. Arguably their best chance of the half fell to Natasha Snelling, but her shot was thwarted well by visiting stopper Melling.

Norwich City: Quantrill, Larkins (c), Strauss, Flye, Parker, Knights, Morran, Tomlinson, Smith, Lawrence, Snelling. Subs: Symonds, Hailes, Shaw, Pernet, Kennard.