FA Women’s National League One (South-East)
Team: Melling, Cooper, Brooks, Blodgett, Searle, Lewin, Owen, Goddard, Stanley, Munro, Dzyadyk
Subs: McCrea, Hennessy, Sampson, D’Santos, Ward-Chambers
The first opportunity at the Matrade Loftus Road Stadium fell to the home side in the fourth minute, when Jess Cooper’s strike was stopped by the keeper’s leg.
Following a fairly heavy challenge, Jo Blodgett was forced off, but she was able to return a couple of minutes later.
The visitors were beginning to grow into the game after 20 minutes or so.
In the 25th minute, Nicole Melling raced out to the corner of the box to block and nullify the danger.
Then a minute later, the R’s keeper did well to hold Freya Symonds’ dangerous cross/shot.
At the other end, Grace Stanley passed to an overlapping Alana Munro, which resulted in the ball being cleared for a corner.
Just after the half-hour mark, Nicole Melling successfully kept out Freya Symonds’ low drive.
Following a swift Canaries counter-attack, a Rangers defender made a superb sliding challenge in the box, which could well have resulted in the visitors taking the lead.
In the closing stages, two attempts at the Rangers goal were kept out. The first one was blocked, which was then followed by the ball being headed away to safety.
Into added time, and Mr Simmons blew the half-time whistle after precisely two minutes and twenty-seconds.
Rangers took the lead within a minute of the re-start after Alana Munro had set-up Grace Stanley. The R’s striker then rounded Sarah Quantrill before slotting the ball home.
However, the Canaries equalised on 55 minutes. Amidst claims for hand-ball, Ceri Flye headed the ball in at the near-post from a corner.
Danny Harrigan then made the first of his substitutions when he brought on Courtnay-Ward-Chambers for Alana Munro.
The visitors had the ball in the net around the hour-mark, but it was seemingly ruled out for handball.
On 65 minutes, Freya Symonds fired wide of the target.
This was quickly followed by the introduction of Meila D’Santos and Renai McCrea at the expense of Annie Dzyadyk and Izzy Owen respectively.
Four minutes later, an excellent move saw Grace Stanley setting up Courtnay Ward-Chambers and the R’s substitute’s effort being deflected off Ceri Flye for a corner.
On 79 minutes, in a wide-leftish position, Courtnay Ward-Chambers’ attempt was successfully grabbed by the Norwich keeper.
The QPR winner came after 86 minutes when Meila D’Santos, well-placed near the back-post, smashed Ellie Searle’s cross into the back of the net.
The final changes came a couple of minutes later, which saw Laura Hennessy and Chloe Sampson coming on for Grace Stanley and Ashleigh Goddard respectively.
It was FA Cup action next, with a home tie against Saltdean United at the SkyEx Community Stadium.
Steve Russell
