Norwich City Women: Shaun Howes on his Canaries role models

The Canaries recorded a dramatic 3-2 second-round victory over Sutton Coldfield courtesy of two late spot-kicks from winger Megan Todd to book their place in today's third-round draw. 

In front of their second-biggest crowd of the season at the Nest, City put on a show in an entertaining cup clash. 

Some professional teams from higher up the pyramid will enter the draw with Super League sides entering from the fourth round. 

The hope is that progress deeper into this competition will help to bring more people to matches and help with their growth after they were integrated into the official club earlier this year. 

"(A Carrow Road game) would be nice. The club are working hard to give us a profile and a platform to do what we do. The girls really appreciate it - anything the club can do to help is great. 

"What the club do for us is brilliant. You look at the amount of people who are here, the mascots having the opportunity to wear the kit and come on with the players. 

"The players deserve this. They are role models and you can see how much they care. They deserve to have plenty of people watching them and they deserve all the plaudits that they get."

Norwich are enjoying a much-improved campaign in both league and cup following an epic great escape last season. 

That momentum has aided their efforts this season - but Howes is hungry for his team to continue their improvement. 

Norwich City Women are in the hat for the FA Cup third round draw later today. (Image: Nick Butcher)

"Last season there were several factors as to why we didn't (do as well) but the girls never stopped trying. They never gave up. 

"Players could have walked away when it got really tough, they could have sacked it off or pretended to be injured but they didn't. That is the one thing we have is togetherness. That is one thing I wanted to create. 

"There is definitely a growing optimism," City's boss said. "Look at how approachable they are. They are just lovely people. They take the time to speak to supporters, they sign things and then they put the effort in on the pitch.

"The positivity is great and we need to make sure we keep working as hard as we do. We know we are not good enough to stop working and not do well. I'm really happy tonight."