A resilient AFC Wimbledon Women defence were able to protect a lone first half strike from Emma Plewa to secure a 1-0 victory in the Canaries' final FAWNL match of the season at Plough Lane.
With the title decided and league status for both sides secured, Norwich City and Wimbledon were playing for pride at Cherry Reds Record Stadium.
Just a single league position separated the two sides as the game kicked off, and it was the higher placing home side that got off to the stronger start with a series of testing corners. It took until the fifth corner of the match for Wimbledon to test Bryony Williams in the eighth minute.
Norwich responded with joy down the right wing as Megan Todd dispatched a series of dangerous crosses across the face of goal, but they were of little concern for the visitors.
In a somewhat end-to-end first half, it was the home side who would break through first. Ceri Flye first made a fantastic last-ditch challenge to deny Chloe Sampson before Emma Plewa latched onto the second chance to open the scoring 36 minutes in.
The following ten minutes of the first half saw much of the same from both sides to close a fairly uneventful first 45 minutes.
Right from the off, Wimbledon looked keen to double their lead coming out in the second half. Sampson went closest, getting onto the end of a cross on 47 minutes but couldn’t keep her effort below the bar.
Despite positive spells of possession for the Canaries, it was the hosts who would go on to create the better chances in the following stages.
Ashlee Hincks forced Williams into a strong save to her right just past the hour mark. No more than ten minutes later, the City stopper was called into action again for one of her signature series of fine saves. First a ball came in from the right, forcing her to claw the ball away from goal, but the danger wasn’t over. Up in a flash, Williams made a great save to deny a second opportunity for the Dons.
The latter stages of the game saw few chances for either side, with another Hincks effort coming closest in the 83rd minute.
The referee blew for full time and with Actonians closing their season with a victory, the result ensured Norwich would finish the season fourth in a successful FAWNL South East campaign.
The Canaries will close their 2022/23 campaign in the County Cup final on Friday, May 19 at Carrow Road where they will face Mulbarton Belles Ladies FC. Get tickets here.
Norwich City: Williams, Parker (Ward 89), Larkins (George 69), Todd (Gambell 56), Daviss (Symonds 60), Snelling (Cook h-t), Russell, Stanley, Flye, Croft Morran
AFC Wimbledon: Baker, Russell (Oliver 72), Brooks, Highman, Billingham, Ali (Heria 66), Donovan, Dorey (Taylor 84), Plewa, Sampson (Chitole-Porter 66), Hincks
Goals: Plewa (36)
Subs not used: Allen
HT: 1-0
FT: 1-0