City Ladies through to cup final after beating Thorpe

Norwich City Ladies progressed through to the final of the Norfolk FA Women’s County Cup on Sunday, after beating Thorpe United Ladies comfortably 6-0 at Plantation Park.

The Canaries will face Acle United in the final on Sunday 21st April, and will look to retain their title for the third consecutive season.

City manager Emma Fletcher said: “This competition is important to this club, on paper we are obviously favourites to win the cup but it’s not a given and we are there to be beaten and every team we face want to be the first team to beat us!

“Thorpe were a prime example and they should be commended for the effort they put in to the game today. I thought their keeper was outstanding and pulled off some excellent saves.”

Both teams started the game brightly with Thorpe pressing right from kick off, however it was Norwich who opened the scoring after 13 minutes, when Anna Larkins raced through, and whist her shot was parried, Vicki Stephens was first to react and place the ball in to the back of the net.

City failed to deal with an attack and they were thankful to keeper Fiona Coombes, who was alert and pulled off a fantastic save when faced with a one on one.

City continued to dominate but seemed to lack the killer instinct in front of goal and the impressive Thorpe keeper was playing her part in keeping the ball out of the net, that was until Stephens, found space in the Thorpe area and scored her and City’s second.

On the stroke of half time, Norwich went further ahead, with Stephens involved yet again, her shot was well saved, but as she received the ball back she unselfishly played the ball across the goal for Anna Larkins to slot home from close range.

City introduced Natalie Clark and Kyla Love at half time to replace Anna Larkins and Nadine Basson and City began to play some lovely football, which Thorpe were struggling to deal with and 10 minutes in was Love that cut in from wide to curl the ball up and over the Thorpe keeper to give City a 4- 0 cushion.

On the 70 minutes Kate Parson’s and Kyla Love were taken off for Larkins and Basson with the later making an immediate impact and opening her score tally for the day following good link-up play outside the Thorpe area.

With only one minute remaining, Basson claimed her second goal of the game, making it 6-0 to Norwich and securing a place in the final.

Team: Coombes, Newcombe, Gray, Parker, cooper, Collison, Farman, parsons, Basson, Stephens, Larkins. Subs: Clark, love