Northampton Town Women won 3-0 at home to Sheffield in the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands on Sunday afternoon.
Alex Dicks, Kim Farrow and Jess Evans scored the Cobblers’ goals as they secured a victory in the rearranged fixture.
Joint-managers Josh Oldfield and Liam Williams made two changes to the team that lost at home to FAWNL Southern Premier Division side Ipswich Town in the Women’s FA Cup first round proper a fortnight ago, as Bianca Luttman and Dicks replaced Paige Ridley and Mia Richards in the starting line up.
The Cobblers controlled the contest, but almost conceded an early opener as Hollie Barker broke through and shot across the face of goal and wide.
The hosts responded almost instantly, captain Zoe Boote sending an effort over the bar from Evans’ cross-field pass.
Her side took the lead 10 minutes in, Dicks sliding home after controlling Fay Noble’s defence-splitting through ball and rounding ‘keeper Leah Kellogg.
Noble was involved in another attack midway through the first half, shielding the ball on the edge of the area. That allowed Jade Bell to drive to the byline and cut back to Farrow, whose poke hit the outside of the post.
Farrow doubled the Cobblers’ advantage five minutes before the break when Noble found Bell with a quick free-kick, and she slipped in the forward who placed into the bottom corner first-time.
Dicks had two chances to add a third before the interval. She fired off target after latching onto Farrow’s flick-on from Katie McLean’s kick and had a low strike blocked by the feet of Kellogg after driving towards the near post.
Evans was able to make it three with her first goal for the club going into the final 20 minutes, Dicks playing in a low cross from another quickly-taken Noble free-kick before the new signing found the bottom corner on the turn.
The hosts almost scored a fourth in a period of sustained pressure in the Sheffield box late on. Bell closed down Kellogg’s clearance, debutant Paris Mallon’s strike was blocked on the line, substitute Ona Ndefo was unable to get a shot away and Boote’s effort deflected behind for a corner.
Oldfield and Williams’ side travel to newly-promoted Notts County next week. The Cobblers won 3-0 both times they met their opponents during their title-winning East Midlands Women’s Regional Football League Premier Division campaign two years ago.
Cobblers: Katie McLean, Laila Channell, Bianca Luttman, Vicky Barrett, TJ Warren, Zoe Boote, Jess Evans, Kim Farrow, Fay Noble, Alex Dicks, Jade Bell
Substitutes: Paige Ridley, Annie Villamartin, Mia Richards, Paris Mallon, Ona Ndefo