Northampton Town Women won 1-0 at home to Boldmere St. Michaels in the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands on Thursday night.
Vicky Barrett scored the Cobblers’ goal as they secured a third consecutive victory in all competitions in the first ever meeting between the two sides. Their opponents were relegated from the FAWNL Northern Premier Division last season.
Joint-managers Josh Oldfield and Liam Williams named the same starting line up that came from two goals down to defeat Sutton Coldfield Town 4-2 at Sixfields Stadium at the weekend.
There were few opportunities created in an even first half, but it was an absorbing opening 45 minutes nevertheless.
Boldmere edged possession and territory meaning that the Cobblers had to remain resilient in defence, but it was the hosts who the best chance fell to on the quarter-of-an-hour mark when Mia Richards broke through one-on-one and smashed straight at ‘keeper Jodie Whiteman.
The visitors came closest from a wide free-kick on the half-hour, but the Cobblers were able to deal with the second ball as it travelled from the far post towards the edge of the six-yard box.
TJ Warren, making her 50th appearance for the club, made an excellent recovery challenge to deny Gabby Maia as she attempted to burst through on goal late in the half, one of many examples of strong Cobblers defending throughout the opening period.
The hosts seized control in the second half and threatened on the hour when Zoe Boote came inches from reaching Jade Bell’s whipped cross at the far post.
As the clock ran down, the opening goal seemed more and more important in such a tight contest. The Cobblers scored it going into the final 20 minutes when Barrett bundled Richards’ deep corner home from close range.
The hosts’ defence was put to the test late on, Katie McLean tipping captain Anna Wilcox’s powerful free-kick onto the crossbar.
The ‘keeper earned her clean sheet with a number of world-class stops in added time. She tipped a shot onto the bar and recovered to make a diving save from the follow-up before match-winner Barrett blocked the rebound.
There was still time for Boldmere to create a final chance as they threw multiple bodies forward in a desperate search for an equaliser, but McLean made another full-stretch save and the close-range follow-up from a tight angle was denied by the crossbar.
The Cobblers enter the Women’s FA Cup in the third qualifying round a week on Sunday. They welcome West Midlands Regional Women’s Football League Premier Division outfit Coventry Sphinx to Fernie Fields Sports Ground for a 2pm kick-off. Season tickets are NOT valid for this fixture. Tickets are available from ntfcdirect.co.uk and on the gate.
Cobblers: Katie McLean, Paige Ridley, TJ Warren, Vicky Barrett, Ruby Heselden, Zoe Boote, Annie Villamartin, Mia Richards, Fay Noble, Kim Farrow, Jade Bell
Substitutes: Holly Mayfield, Bianca Luttman, Rhea Patel, Alex Dicks, Ona Ndefo