Norwich City Women’s head coach Shaun Howes admitted that he had to have a few harsh words with the team at half-time during their 2-1 victory over Cambridge City on Sunday.
The win, the Canaries third in a row, was enough to take the team out of the relegation zone in the Women’s National League Division One South East. However, the result looked unlikely at the break with the team trailing 1-0 to a poorly defended corner.
“It was a game of two halves,” said Shaun. “We were really disappointing before the break. Our behaviours and our effort wasn’t up to what we require and what we have shown during the last couple of weeks. We had a good chat at half-time and the players were a different level in the second half.
“They came out, realised the importance of the game. Showed the aggression that they needed and got back into the game really quickly after half-time.
“We questioned them and asked them whether they knew how important the game was. I had a bit of a moan at them and I don’t like doing it, but I got the reaction that I wanted and 10 minutes into the second half we were 2-1 up.
“The reaction was brilliant and really pleasing to see. In the past we might have crumbled, but we showed great character and actually deserved to win the game in the end.”
The opening goal came from a corner which was cleared well enough first time, but then, during the second phase, the ball was crossed back into the box and an opposition player was allowed to head home.
However, at the start of the second half substitute Kathryn Stanley, who had just come on to the pitch, sent in a low cross which was handled by a Cambridge player allowing Megan Todd to equaliser from 12 yards.
Then six minutes later, a Norwich corner created a melee in the box, which Chardonnay Johnston to advantage of to turn and fire into the bottom corner from inside the box.
Norwich then pushed forward in search of a third before seeing out the remaining minutes of the match with a strong defensive resolve. The win takes Norwich above Enfield in the table. Enfield, who have dropped into the bottom four, only have one game left, which means if Norwich can win one of their two remaining fixtures – against AFC Wimbledon or Queens Park Rangers – then the team will avoid the drop.
“I think the win is really important psychologically,” said Shaun. “It is the first time we have been out of the relegation zone for a few months but the determination that the girls have got shows. It shows how much they care and want to stay in this league. We were poor first half of the season, but the determination they have got to show that we are better than that, is great to see.
“The evidence, for the hard work they have put in, is now there for them to see and we just need one more win and we can relax a bit.”