Norwich City Women took on Mulbarton Belles in the Harrod Sport County Cup Final on Friday night. The Canaries beat the Belles 3-0 to win the Norfolk County Cup Final. After an exciting game and chances from both teams, Norwich sealed the victory to walk away with the trophy.
Mulbarton were looking for the win after 2 consecutive defeats in the cup final, losing 2-0 last year to Wymondham Town. However, Norwich came out on top, winning their seventh County Cup title.
The first half ended goalless, seeing both teams have good chances at the goal. Norwich were clearly desperate to score in front of the 2,690 fans at Carrow Road. It was a quick start for Norwich, with a cross from Megan Todd saved by Mulbarton’s Joanne Hooper.
Throughout the first 45, Norwich City were very close to scoring. Chances from Megan Todd, Rebecca Russell, and Alice Parker saw the Canaries dominate over the Belles. However, they couldn’t manage to convert any of their chances to goals. Mulbarton had achieved their goal of frustrating their opponents during the first half.
The second half told a different story. Norwich continued to be the stronger side, managing to find the lead within the first minute after half-time. The goal came from Ceri Flye, netting her first goal for the club.
Mulbarton kept fighting to win a goal back, not disheartened by Flye’s goal. The atmosphere in the stadium became more tense before Katie Knights scored the second goal for the Canaries.
The result was sealed when Liv Cook tapped Freya Symonds’ cross into the net for Norwich’s third goal. Both teams refused to give up, still applying pressure until the final whistle.
Mulbarton’s goalkeeper Joanne Hooper was awarded Player of the Match after a standout performance. She saved many of Norwich’s scoring opportunities, and it could have meant a lot more goals for the winning team if not for her skill in goal.
The game ended with Norwich City beating Mulbarton Belles 3-0 in front of the lively Carrow Road crowd. The cup victory rounded off a successful season for the Canaries, after they finished fourth in the league. The final also marked Shaun Howes’ final game as Norwich Women’s head coach. He celebrated his time at the club by lifting the County Cup trophy with his team.
Mulbarton Belles: Joanne Hooper (GK), Lucy Lincoln, Alice Smith, Megan Belsey, Laura Hedtke, Melissa Belsey, Ellie Hunter, Rebekah Lake (C), Olivia Smith, Sophie Jermy, Molly Ryan.
Subs: Olivia Mungham-Gray, Aneliese Smith, Francesca Catchpole, Alice Ladbrooke, Emma Farmer.
Norwich City: Bryony Williams (GK), Alice Parker, Anna Larkins (C), Megan Todd, Ellie Smith, Tash Snelling, Rebecca Russell, Kathryn Stanley, Katie Knights, Ceri Flye, Mary Croft.
Subs: Millie Daviss, Freya Symonds, Ella Gambell, Olivia Cook, Eloise Morran.
Referee: Callum Parke
