Norwich City Women remain level on points with Hashtag at the summit of Division One South East following victory over QPR at Loftus Road.
Norwich were comfortable 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Kathryn Stanley and Megan Todd.
Under an overcast west London sky, the home side were caused trouble from the off with an energetic start.
City goalkeeper Bryony Williams had to be alert to sweep away a through ball inside five minutes, with the resulting lobbed effort but blew a sigh of relief as she watched QPR’s long-range lobbed effort brush narrowly wide of the post.
Norwich responded with a through ball from Freya Symonds to find Natasha Snelling, but McLean was equally fast to react and get a strong hand to Snelling’s chipped effort.
Set pieces were a source of danger from both sides throughout the game. On the 17-minute mark, a troubling QPR corner led to pinball in the City area before the home side rattled the right post with the ball then hooked away to safety.
City regained control of possession and made the most of it just minutes later with the opening goal.
Alice Parker found Symonds down the left who in turn found Kathryn Stanley. She progressed down the left flank, cutting inside before curling an effort over the keeper and into the net from 25 yards out.
Moments later the hosts were fortunate in keeping 11 players on the field.
Snelling raced away from the defence following another sublime through ball from Parker only to be cynically hauled down when in the clear. The referee instantly went to his pocked, but only showed a yellow card for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
QPR hit the woodwork from a free kick on the half-hour mark, as the home side sought an equaliser.
The second half brought much the same from QPR, pressing high and piling the pressure onto Norwich’s defence.
Just shy of the hour mark, a slight mix-up at the back allowed Emilia Parsons to pick-pocket the ball in the Norwich area, but Williams got a vital touch to see the effort loop wide.
Williams came to the rescue yet again later, saving to her left at full-stretch to preserve her clean sheet as the game approached the latter stages.
The game looked destined for another nervy finish late on, until a late corner led to a goal for the away side.
Anna Larkins’ delivery was met by Todd, who rose high above the QPR defenders to head home Norwich’s second of the game and seal victory.
Norwich are next in action against Watford on Sunday, September 25, in the rearranged FA WNL Cup fixture. The game will take place at Wealdstone.