Another Natasha Snelling brace accompanied by an own goal and a Megan Todd penalty secured a comfortable 4-0 victory as Norwich travelled to Cambridge City.
Norwich arrived at The New Croft on Tuesday evening looking to right the wrongs of Sunday’s draw with London Seaward and this was evident from the off.
The Canaries started the game in high spirits and energy, finding Snelling, Rachel Lawrence, Todd and Kathryn Stanley in dangerous areas with urgency.
Despite a handful of Norwich chances knocking on the Cambridge door in the opening stages, it was a Lilywhite foot that gave Norwich the lead after an Alice Parker cross was turned in for an own goal in the 10th minute.
Attacking bombardment proceeded with Stanley and Todd both testing the palms of Nina Meollo, but the Cambridge keeper was equal to them.
In the 25th minute, Cambridge responded, forcing the concession of a free-kick in a dangerous area. Sarah Quantrill got down brilliantly to deny the subsequent effort, with Mary Croft swiping the ball to safety.
Norwich sensed the danger and immediately began to manifest some more opportunities of their own. Lawrence continued to torment the left of the Cambridge defence and saw one of her many threatening crosses turned in by Snelling to double Norwich’s advantage just shy of 30 minutes.
The interval was approaching but Norwich weren’t done. Ellie Smith joined the attacking ensemble, making her usual weaving and darting runs, whilst Stanley and Todd continued to test Meollo.
Once again, it was Snelling who would deliver a hammer blow on the stroke of half-time. First, Stanley cut inside off the left wing to let fly, stinging the palms of Meollo, who spilt it into the path of a grateful Snelling to secure a 3-0 lead at the break.
Coming out for the second half Cambridge City knew they had to respond quickly, and that they did. Route one proved fruitful as Ceri Flye was forced to make a challenge inside the penalty area under a minute into the restart. Tilly Fidler confidently stood over it but turned in anguish as her spot-kick was blazed over the bar.
This inevitably knocked the wind out of Cambridge sails and settled the tempo of the game.
Ten minutes later, the hosts would return the favour, bringing down a goal-bound Stanley as she looked certain to score. It was no surprise to see Todd step up to the plate and even less of a surprise as she dispatched it for Norwich’s fourth.
Substitutes rolled on for both sides, but little changed. Norwich continued to dominate much of the ball in the latter stages of the game, with the occasional breakthrough chance that could have produced another goal or two.
Cambridge rued a late chance of their own, rattling the post with 10 to play, but the game would play out at the pace set by Norwich until the referee’s whistle.
The Canaries will now have a four-day rest before they host Cambridge United in the much-anticipated Carrow Road fixture on Sunday, September 10.
Norwich City Women: Quantrill, Parker, Flye (Strauss 77), Todd (Tomlinson 67), Smith, Snelling (Shaw 60), Larkins (Hailes 67), Stanley, Knights (Daviss 67), Lawrence, Croft.
Goals: OG (10), Snelling (28,45), Todd (58)
Bookings: Hailes (88)
Cambridge City: Meollo, A Jackson, Mulvihill, Ndlovu, Hubbard, Price, Wodhams, Gardiner, C Jackson, Fidler, Stephenson.