Norwich City 2 MK Dons 0Norwich City Ladies secured their first SE Combination win of the season, after their opening-day draw, with a battling performance against MK Dons.

Norwich City 2 MK Dons 0

Norwich City Ladies secured their first SE Combination win of the season on Sunday with a battling performance against MK Dons.

Delighted joint manager Emma Fletcher said: “I can't praise the performance of the team today, we had to make several changes from last week for one reason or another and the girls that came in were fantastic.

“We were aware that MK had made new signings and would be coming to Norfolk to try and seek revenge for the four defeats last season. But we our girls were in no mood to let them do it."

When asked if City could win the title, she replied: “Yes of course we can, but so can anyone else in this league! Its too early for us to start shouting that we can do it, I'm a firm believer that we just concentrate on what we do, the girls are aware what it takes to win a league and we must just take every game one by one."

City face Crystal Palace next weekend, in their last game before they then hit the road for five consecutive away games. Palace will be wanting to pick points up after losing both their opening two games quite heavily.

Against MK Dons City had a changed side due to a certain festival held annually in Chelmsford. This, coupled with a late call-off due to injury and the reserves starting their league campaign, meant it would be an early test of resources for the club.

However, these seemed to spur the young City side and they pressed straight away from kick-off, nearly opening the scoring account with Paige Shorten.

With only one player remaining in the City defence in Jemma Smythe from the previous week it was going to be a real test for the young back four but with Holly Clarke having another solid and reassuring game at the back things looked promising.

Chelsea Garrett was causing all sorts of problems up front with her blistering pace and Paige Shorten playing a slightly different role to normal behind the front two was also making life hard for the Dons team.

Therefore it was no surprise that after a good clearance from Clarke the ball fell to Shorten who found Jodie Drake who played a well-timed ball through the heart of the Dons defence for Garrett to run on to and place the ball past the helpless Dons keeper.

Dons probably should have equalised when a ball was played up and over the City defence and with Clarke committed to come and sweep the ball, it rebounded to the MK Dons striker who had her shot blocked and the follow-up also blocked before it ran thankfully away for a goal kick.

The second half continued much like the first. The three young amigos Charlotte Branch, Nikitta Morris and Sophie Gillett in the centre of the pitch were fighting tooth and nail, not allowing Dons much time on the ball to create.

City really should have had their second when Garrett who looked in an offside position raced through one-on-one with the keeper, but this time it was the Dons keeper who came out on top, in reflection probably the fairest outcome.

As City continued to pile forward the second goal finally came, courtesy of Garrett who made no mistake this time.

With the introduction of Jordan Arnoup and Kirstie Kindred there was no respite for the Dons but, to their credit, they continued to try and calve an opportunity out, and nearly did late in the game, but Clarke in a determined mood to keep a clean sheet pushed the shot round the post.

Final score City 2, MK Dons 0.