Norwich City Women got their league campaign off to a winning start with a 3-2 victory on the road against newly-promoted Dulwich Hamlet Women.
The hosts initially took the lead after 25 minutes, but an immediate equaliser from Shannon Shaw, a penalty from Hope Strauss and an insurance goal from Ellie Smith sealed the win.
A towering header from a corner provided a consolation goal five minutes from time for Dulwich Hamlet to end a lively second half.
Head coach Andy Cook made five changes to his starting 11 from the final pre-season fixture of the summer schedule, bringing back Sarah Quantrill in goal, who was pulled out of last week's line-up against Royston Town with a late injury.
The hosts were carrying momentum from last season's London and South East Regional Women's Premier Division title win, and had a boisterous crowd at Champion Hill.
It was Tamsin Medd-Gill for the Canaries who would test the opposition first, finding the crossbar inside two minutes from a Freya Symonds free-kick, with Natasha Snelling poised at the rebound, only to flick behind for a goal kick.
A free-kick from Lily Price kept City on alert, as she managed to hit the post from 30 yards out just after 10 minutes.
Ella Powell managed a shot on target with a strong header on the edge of the area, but the Hamlet stopper Saskia Reeves-Priestly was there to collect.
The Blues would be first to break the deadlock though, as an initial save from Quantrill wasn't tipped away far enough from Lucy Monkman, who latched on to the ball and poked home for 1-0.
It took all of one minute for City to find an equaliser, as a free-kick into the area found the head of Shaw, who nodded in from close range.
A double save from Quantrill kept the score level just another minute later, as she punched away two efforts from a blue shirt in quick succession.
The second half opened with much of the same pressing from the Canaries, but not enough end product in the box to challenge the Hamlets for a second.
Price had another go from the edge of the area for the hosts, but her effort went high over the target.
Just before the hour mark, City were awarded a penalty for a poor tackle on Smith in the area, allowing Strauss to step up and convert from the spot.
The centre-back maintained her 100 per cent record for penalties, scoring her sixth out of six for Norwich City.
The first changes for City saw Issy Moore and Lara Densley introduced for their debuts, with Moore immediately in on the action with a shot from inside the area, but Reeves-Priestly stood strong to save.
Shortly after, Smith extended City's lead, making an interception in a dangerous area and turning to find the bottom corner for Norwich's third.
The hosts claimed one back with five minutes to go through Asia Harbour-Brown, keeping the game close until the end, but the Canaries claimed all three points on the opening day.
Dulwich Hamlet Women: Reeves-Priestly, Lodgie, Harbour-Brown, Searle (Hickman 84), Jowle (Read 70), Hutchings, Corrigan, Monkman, Stephens (Dunbar-Bonnie 70), Buchele, Price
Unused subs: Gall, Hickman, Lacey
Goals: Monkman (26), Harbour-Brown (86)
Bookings: Hutchings (32)
Norwich City Women: Quantrill; Medd-Gill (Knights 80), Flye, Strauss, Tomlinson (Hailes 87); Morran, Powell (Moore 72), Smith; Symonds (Daviss 90+3), Snelling, Shaw (Densley 72)
Unused subs: Daviss, Knights, Hailes
Goals: Shaw (28), Strauss (59), Smith (83)
HT: 1-1
FT: 2-3
Venue: Champion Hill
Attendance: 814
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