Norwich City Women secured a second successive victory in the FAWNL Division One South East to begin 2025 with a 7-0 victory over Ashford Town.
Four goals from Natasha Snelling, alongside Freya Symonds, Holly Kennard and Shannon Shaw ensured an emphatic three points.
Despite a sub-zero start at The Nest, there was no frost on the Canaries, who got off to a flying start to the game with Symonds going close inside five minutes.
Just five minutes later, Symonds got the breakthrough following some lovely work from Kennard on the halfway line and a good set from Snelling.
Both Sarah Quantrill and Ceri Flye had to flex their defensive muscles to thwart some half-chances for the visitors following the opener, but it was the team in yellow who would march on.
In the 24th minute, a delightful cross from in-form winger Olivia Cook would just evade the fingertips of Ashford goalkeeper Emma Vigolo to find a grateful Snelling at the back post to make it two.
Just after the half-hour mark, the Canaries would go three to the good thanks to Kennard. A deep corner from Lauren Tomlinson would find the winger free at the back post to side-foot a volley into the roof of the visitors’ net to make it 3-0.
Norwich would see out the first half with a couple of strong saves from Quantrill, and some subsequent treatment for her bravery.
The second half of proceedings would present a relatively quiet opening quarter-hour with the Yellows whistling wide of the mark on a few occasions.
But in the 62nd minute, any doubts would be put to bed by Snelling with her brace, latching onto a rebound after Cook’s initial effort was parried back into a dangerous area.
A host of changes brought fresh legs into play and ensured the yellow and green pressure would continue. In the 81st minute, Cook wheeled away in celebration as she netted a fourth, only for the referee to wave play on thanks to a lower stanchion cannoning the ball back into play.
This wouldn’t deflate the hosts as Shaw netted a fifth on 88 minutes before an injury-time brace from Snelling, including a 93rd-minute screamer, would ensure three points and plus-seven to the Canaries’ goal difference.
The side returns to action on Sunday, January 19, when they visit Aylsham in the County Cup.
Norwich City: Quantrill; Flye, Morran, Daviss (Moore 80), Snelling, Symonds (Hailes 70), Tomlinson (Bishop 70), Cook, Strauss, Booty (Shaw 80), Kennard (Medd-Gill 80)
Goals: Symonds (10), Snelling (24, 62, 89, 90+3), Kennard (31), Shaw (88)
Ashford Town: Vigolo, Bishop, Duncan, Huse (Miller 71), Southgate, Kantamaneni, Middleton (Luscombe 51), Riley (Grossman 79), Kargbo, Cole, (Wojtaszewska 73) O’Callaghan
HT: 3-0
FT: 7-0
Venue: The Nest
Attendance: 234