Norwich City Ladies have risen two places to third in the South East Combination League after a 2-0 win at Northampton.City made the long trip to Northampton to play their first league fixture in two weeks.

Norwich City Ladies have risen two places to third in the South East Combination League after a 2-0 win at Northampton.

City made the long trip to Northampton to play their first league fixture in two weeks.

With injuries galore, players unavailable and conditions that consisted of high winds and rain, City were clearly going to be tested on this occasion.

Winning the toss and choosing to defend the hill and wind, City battled hard, it was never going to be a flowing football game which they were used to but they needed to be alert as Northampton were keen to use the conditions to their advantage.

In an even first half, both sides would have been reasonably happy with a 0-0 scoreline.

The second half started much like the first, but City were starting to show signs of playing good football and taking control of the game.

Following what looked like a foul on the edge of the area by Northampton on Chelsea Garrett, which led to the Northampton player needing treatment and leaving the field, City could have felt aggrieved that no further action was taken by the referee to punish the player or award a free-kick.

However, they did get their just rewards as shortly after and with Northampton still down to 10 players, Nic Bray was played through and calmly took the ball round the advancing keeper and passed into the empty net, to put the Canaries 1-0 up.

Within five minutes of the start, the home side were in all sorts of problems as City were spurred on by their opener and when Gemma Farman played Garrett through down the right she cut in and fired a stunning strike pass the helpless Northampton keeper to seal all three points.

City now face another free week, having drawn Dagenham and Redbridge in the first round of the Women's FA Cup - with their opponents having pulled out of the league, this means the Canaries receive a bye in to round two.

Co-manager Emma Fletcher said: “The attitude and application of all the players today was exceptional. When we left Norwich we were aware that playing conditions were going to be extremely difficult, and it was going to be a real test, especially being down to the bare bones.”

City are now third in the table, four points behind Enfield with two games in hand, and four points behind league leaders Gillingham with one game in hand.

Their next league game is against Lewes, who they narrowly lost to earlier in the season.