Norwich City Women made it back-to-back victories as they beat Loughborough Lightning 3-2 in the FAWNL Northern Premier Division at the Loughborough University Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Grace Riglar opened the scoring in the first half before doubling her tally in the second. Olivia Mitchell-Ramon and Hannah Langford netted for Loughborough either side of Holly Kennard adding City's third.
Head coach Perry Northeast made four changes to the side that beat Stevenage in the FAWNL Cup group stage last Sunday.
Eva-Jean Young returned in goal while Riglar came into the defence. Eloise King and Freya Symonds were brought into the midfield.
The first sight of goal fell to City after some smart work in the middle of the park from Lauren Hailes and Poppy Groves to work the ball wide to Natalie Johnson with room to drive. She broke forward to the edge of the box before firing an effort narrowly over the bar.
After a quiet start to the game, the Canaries opened the scoring midway through the first half from their first corner. Symonds floated a ball into the danger area which was met by the head of Riglar at the far post to fire in her second goal of the season.
City went pushing for a second before half time as Symonds skipped past her marker on the edge of the box and looked to find the far top corner but Teresa Murphy in the Loughborough goal got across to turn her strike behind.
Shortly after, Issy Moore whipped in a superb cross from the left towards the far post. Faith Harrison made a late run to try and get on the end of it but the ball narrowly evaded her head to deny her a tap-in.
After the break, Northeast's side piled pressure on the Lightning goal as Moore slotted a ball into the box for Kennard who ran onto it and looked for the near corner from a tight angle but her shot was saved.
A minute later Kennard found space again, this time drilling a low ball across the box which was taken away from the boot of fellow substitute Bryony Brodie by a last ditch challenge.
City doubled their lead just before the hour mark when Brodie's deep corner was headed back across the penalty area by Johnson for Riglar to head home from a few yards out for her second of the afternoon.
The hosts pulled a goal back within minutes as Mitchell-Ramon lined up a shot from the edge of the box and picked out the bottom corner with a driven strike.
The Canaries were soon back on the front foot as Kennard was slotted through on goal and looked for the far corner. Murphy rushed out to meet her and made a strong save to keep the shot out.
Kennard got her goal shortly after when Lara Densley lofted a ball over the top for the City winger to chase. Kennard drove towards the box, cut inside and whipped a strike into the far bottom corner for her third goal in her last four games.
Loughborough piled on pressure late on and pulled another goal back just before the 90 minutes were up. Langford rose highest in the box to head home from a corner.
Lightning continued to look for an equaliser as Doris Greenwood fired a low ball across the box which caused a scramble in the City six-yard box but Young eventually claimed the ball.
Northeast's side held firm in the dying minutes to claim their second league victory of the season.
City return to action next Sunday when they travel to Middlesbrough in the FAWNL Northern Premier Division.
Loughborough Lightning: Murphy, McMaster (Powell 68), Langford, Thompson (Rogers h-t), Hogg (Davies 84), Spillman (Conway 60), Greenwood, Williams, Jarowicki, Mitchell-Ramon (C), West.
Subs not used: Chads, Kennedy, Kingerley.
Goals: Mitchell-Ramon (62), Langford (88)
Norwich City: Young; Daviss, Riglar (C), Wilson, Johnson; King (Densley 73), Symonds, Groves; Moore, Harrison (Kennard 53), Hailes (Brodie 53).
Subs not used: Irvine, Francis, Szczech, Booty.
Goals: Riglar (21),(58), Kennard (81)
Half-time: 0-1
Full-time: 2-3
Venue: Loughborough University Stadium
Referee: Feiruz Abdullahi
Attendance: 340