SE Combination match report Norwich City LFC v Cambridge WFC

   After an intense burst of women's football taking in England's games in the recent UEFA U17 Championships in the midlands 5 games in 13 days along with an East Anglian Championship match between Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire aswell as the South East Combination league clash between Ipswich Town Ladies and C&K Basildon... oh and the Norfolk Division 2 clash involving Freethorpe LFC and Ealham Colney LFC you'd think I'd be all footballed out and in need of a rest.
   However 7 days without a match proved to feel very odd indeed and I was looking forwards to checking out the fixtures for this Sunday and deciding the best place to be. As it was, something else fairly important happens in December and I needed to visit a certain shop... well garden centre near Norwich to make a sneaky purchase without the mother knowing... thus the South East Combination league clash fortunately rearranged between Norwich City Ladies and Cambridge WFC was perfect.
    That being said my luck at actually attending a women's football match at Norwich City Ladies home ground Plantation Park hasn't been great having turned up there when they were actually away on the 1st occasion and getting rained off earlier this season on the eve of the East Anglian derby match with Ipswich it was a case of 3rd time lucky. Situated in Blofield east of Norwich along the A47 the ground is easy to find if you use your eyes instead of your sat nav. A decent little ground with good facilities... the game was on!
   Norwich have been the victim of several postponements and rearranged fixtures which now see's them playing catch up in the South East Combination which for them I'm sure has been frustrating for both players and management alike as they were in a hot streak of form one of the results in that period being a 6-1 victory over todays visitors Cambridge back in September.
    Now for the reverse fixture expected Norwich to be strong opponents for Cambridge whom having seen several times now knew this was a much changed starting line up with no Sophie Thompson and Laura Baker on the bench the attacking duties fell to lone stiker Nuala Wayne with midfielder Laura Bright pushed further forwards to try and support her. As kick off started the rain that was building got heavier and heavier and with what looked like a heavy pitch to start with conditions weren't great.
   With a changed line up you wouldn't want to concede an early goal but this is exactly what Cambridge did as Norwich won a free kick 25 yards out and it was fired in Norwich defender Kate Parsons rose unmarked to head the ball down into the near post and make it 1-0. Conditions were poor with the rain pouring down and players were sliding in with challenges from both sides midfield was a congested area of the pitch with Cambridge battling hard to win the ball Norwich had the balance of the attack with the visitors unable to get the ball up to Nuala Wayne and make it stick although chances on goal were few and far between with shots at both end from long range going wide and Cambridge keeper Verity Crook being in the right position to gather when needed. At half time Norwich led 1-0
     The rain had stopped late in the 1st half and with the teams out for the 2nd half it was Cambridge who started the brighter were looking to get their flank players moving forwards quicker to support their striker were working hard to win the ball back higher up the pitch had a shot which was stabbed straight at the on rushing keeper. With support at hand Nuala Wayne was a threat driving at Norwich's defence from a ball played over the top the no 9 was through on goal with the keeper rushing out there was only one option the early lob and it was taken with aplomb to make it 1-1.
    Cambridge were on top during this period another chance fell to midfielder Bethan Jones who played the ball past her full back had to chase it pressure the keeper who kicked it against her the ball cannoning back but wide of goal. Bethan Jones was through again minutes later but a tangle of legs in the box saw both players injured and having to be replaced.
   There was a lengthy delay and this seemed to be just what Norwich needed to organise themselves as barely minutes later they were able to break on the right Chelsea Garrett breaking through to strike from the edge of the box and past the keeper into the back of the net to restore the lead at 2-1 now they were dominant keeping Cambridge pinned back had a further 2 shots that were saved by Verity Crook and a further 2 sliced wide of goal.
     Cambridge had a late corner to try and salvage a point but the goal mouth scramble saw Norwich clear the ball and the final whistle blew for them to claim the 3 points. Move onto 21 points some 11 points behind league leaders C&K Basildon but with some 5 games in hand.
    In the other 2 SE Combination league games today the afforementioned C&K Basildon racked up a 9-0 victory at Luton Town Ladies and the leagues 3rd placed team Milton Keynes Dons LFC scored 5 at home against Brentwood Town LFC.