Women's Report | Norwich City 5-0 MK Dons

Norwich City Women cruised past MK Dons in a 5-0 league win at The Nest.

Norwich City Women cruised past MK Dons in a 5-0 league win at The Nest.

Andy Cook made three changes from City's last league outing where they beat London Bees 2-1 on the road; Eloise Hall, Eloise King and Ellie Smith all missing out through injury.

Natasha Snelling, Ceri Flye and Lauren Hailes were called up in their places.

Four first-half goals were a strong foundation to secure a win, Issy Moore sealing the three points just minutes after she was substituted on.

After a steady start from both sides, with neither able to break through the defence, MK Dons had the first free-kick of the game.

New signing Ronnie Harrison stepped up to take but Holly Mears collected with ease.

City then found the opener in the eighth minute after Freya Symonds stole the ball from a Jamie-Lee Bamford goal-kick, sending Olivia Cook down the right, her cross finding Snelling at point-blank range.

The lead was then doubled just two minutes later, as a throw-in from Cook found Holly Kennard in the box to bring down the ball and shoot into the back of the net.

Another free-kick for the visitors forced Mears to push an effort from a Dons shirt onto the post and behind for a corner.

A brilliant run down the wing from Kennard almost inflicted more damage on the visitors as her cross found Cook racing into the area, the other winger only able to rattle the crossbar with her effort.

Hailes rifled an effort from distance on the half-hour mark that had to be punched behind for a City corner.

Snelling then got her second and City's third with 37 minutes played, as she was picked out by Kennard and rolled the ball into the back of the net.

Symonds unleashed a powerful strike at goal but Bamford parried it away from danger.

Evie Williams was denied by a clearance on the line from the Dons stopper just before the half-time whistle.

A fantastic recovery from Cook allowed her to snatch the ball from a Dons defender, who in turn pulled her to the ground and City were awarded a penalty.

Symonds stepped up to take it, making it 4-0 on the 45-minute mark.

Neither side mustered a convincing shot for the first 15 minutes of the second half before Kennard fired one narrowly over the bar.

The winger then tried to set-up Snelling for a hat-trick shortly after but the forward's touch fell the wrong side of the post.

Snelling did have the ball in the back of the net for a third and fourth time but she was denied by the offside flag on both occasions.

A free-kick from 30 yards out taken by the Dons' Alex O'Neil was close to the target but landed on the roof of Mears' net.

The Canaries then made it five with a fantastic cut inside from Kennard to set up substitute Issy Moore, who only had to find the target to score.

City are next in action on Sunday, October 19, where they travel to Northampton in the first round of the FAWNL Plate.

Norwich City: Mears; Daviss, Flye, Strauss, Williams (Bishop 70); Riglar (Booty 87), Hailes (Wilson 76), Symonds (Moore 76); Cook (Densley 70), Kennard, Snelling.

Unused subs: Quantrill, Francis.

Goals: Snelling (8, 37), Kennard (10), Symonds (45+1 pen), Moore (83)

Bookings: Flye (75)

MK Dons: Bamford; Harrison (Ekendu-Obi 84), Day, Beverly (Appleton h-t), Chimbima; O'Neill, Sarll, Omenazu (Wootton 88); Lemon, Carnevale, Burnett-Grifffith.

Unused subs: Taylor, Knox, Ebraham.

HT: 4-0

FT: 5-0

Venue: The Nest

Referee: Aidan Jones

Attendance: 375