Northampton Town Women won 4-0 away to Leafield Athletic in the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands on Sunday afternoon.
Kim Farrow scored a brace whilst Jade Bell and Alex Dicks netted the Cobblers’ other goals as they extended their winning run in the league to five games.
Joint-managers Josh Oldfield and Liam Williams made two changes to the team that won at home to Sheffield three weeks ago, as Holly Mayfield and Mia Richards replaced Katie McLean and Laila Channell in the starting line up.
The visitors made a dominant start with Vicky Barrett half-volleying the first shot of the contest straight at ‘keeper Colette Bell early on.
Farrow opened the scoring 10 minutes in, sweeping home Dicks’ cutback from the penalty spot.
The Cobblers came close to doubling their lead numerous times in the opening half-an-hour. Two opportunities fell to Jade Bell, who side-footed wide of the far post from the edge of the box before stabbing wide from close range.
Mayfield made a smart stop to deny the most threatening effort during a period of Leafield pressure before the break, palming Seanna McCann-Lloyd’s long-range strike over the crossbar.
The Cobblers regained control after the restart, scoring their second goal when Jade Bell ran onto captain Zoe Boote’s pass, drove towards the near post and placed into the far bottom corner.
It was three on the hour mark. Dicks was tripped in the area and Farrow’s penalty was clawed away by Colette Bell, but the forward converted the rebound from inside the six yard box.
The win was secured going into the final 20 minutes, the Cobblers adding their fourth goal at the end of a counter-attack. Dicks drove forward and played the ball out wide to Jade Bell, she cut it back to Jess Evans, her shot across goal was pushed wide by Colette Bell and Dicks was on hand to finish.
Two substitutes combined as the visitors almost made it five in added time, but Paige Ridley’s whipped cross was just out of the sliding Ona Ndefo’s reach in the middle.
The Cobblers begin the New Year away to Leek Town, having earned comprehensive wins over their opponents in home FAWNL Division One Midlands and FAWNL Plate meetings earlier in the season.
Cobblers: Holly Mayfield, Mia Richards, Bianca Luttman, Vicky Barrett, TJ Warren, Zoe Boote, Jess Evans, Kim Farrow, Fay Noble, Alex Dicks, Jade Bell
Substitutes: Laila Channell, Paige Ridley, Elloise Copson, Ruby Heselden, Ona Ndefo
Photos: Clive Stapleton Photography