sunday, january 26, 2025
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Welcome back, Steven.
As a club we pride ourselves on the development of homegrown talent
Good afternoon and welcome back to The Nest for today’s visit of Dulwich Hamlet.
We have started 2025 in fine form, securing maximum points from both league fixtures this year and today provides another great opportunity to secure three points in our pursuit of closing the gap on the league leaders.
Today’s opponents Dulwich Hamlet will be a new opposition for many in attendance at The Nest this afternoon. Dulwich Hamlet gained promotion from Tier 5 last season, winning the league in impressive fashion, only dropping seven points all season. They have comfortably held their own in Tier 4 this season and we expect this afternoon’s fixture to be a tough battle.
Last weekend we faced local side Aylsham in the quarter finals of the Norfolk Women’s County Cup competition. Within this fixture, three academy graduates made their competitive first team debuts; Amber Locker started the game in goal, with Drew Wilson and Poppy Francis making substitute appearances. As a club we pride ourselves on the development of home-grown talent, this is another fantastic example of players developing through our pathway.
We look forward to welcoming you all back to The Nest on Sunday, February 9 when we face Chatham Town.
OTBC.
Andy Cook
That’s the mantra; be in the present moment and be ready to fight and battle and play for Norwich City!
We caught up with head coach Andy Cook to reflect on the past week and looked ahead to this weekend’s fixture back on home turf.
A top, professional, performance on Sunday from our side - now it’s been a few days, how do you reflect on our 6-1 win against Aylsham?
Really happy with the game to be honest. We could have scored 11 or 12 if their goalkeeper wasn’t so on form. Seeing Amber (Locker), Poppy (Francis) and Drew (Wilson) all play was a great success too and hopefully they have the bite now to really step on and push themselves to play more. We managed to get good minutes in a lot of players’ legs, so I’m really pleased with how that weekend went as whole.
Three players were given debuts on the day - is there a philosophy around the club about giving young players the opportunity to showcase their talent, or was it more of a case of the right timing for them?
No, it was simply that I wanted to do it. They proved themselves in training and what I look for is other players’ reactions. You see from moments in sessions how players are working and all three always have had positive reactions and feedback. The club of course wants local talent to play for the club. We don’t want the likes of Aimee Palmer, Lauren Hemp, Ebony Wiseman and our Flo Allen having to leave Norfolk and the city in order to play top line football. We want that here at Norwich City, and it’s starting now with
those who come through. However, I always tell younger players they need to remember it’s not about now up to age 21/22, it’s about the next few years, and they need to show they are getting better and better. So Amber, Poppy and Drew, for example, will be potentially in their prime in 2034 - that’s 10 years away! So, it’s really exciting and they should always think ‘what I’m doing now is investing in my future’ because work they do now gets them to the right place in 2034.
We face Dulwich this weekend, a tough side with a great following. What can fans expect from us against this side who are playing their first season in this tough league?
I’d love to see the best with the fans travelling up from London; they were great back in August. Dulwich are a good side and one everyone should look out for. They have an iconic kit and following and they will continue to pick up points with the players they have at the club. But as ever, we are all about us and what we can achieve and where we are. We have had a good weeks’ work, but that’s gone now and it’s all about today’s fixture. We need to make sure we are ready come kick-off and it all starts in the warm-up. The saying I use a lot is ‘you can’t win it in the warm up, you only get ready to play’. That’s the mantra; be in the present moment and be ready to fight and battle and play for Norwich City! OTBC!
Aylsham 1 Norwich City Women 6
Norwich City Women progress to the next round of the Harrod Sport Women’s Cup following a 6-1 win over Aylsham on Sunday afternoon.
After initially going behind, Eloise Morran found the important equaliser, with goals to follow from Natasha Snelling, Lauren Hailes and Lara Densley; Shannon Shaw collecting a double in the later stages of the game.
Ahead of the game, Andy Cook put almost a whole new side out to the team that beat Ashford 7-0 last weekend, with goalkeeper Amber Locker making her full debut for the club.
Snelling was first to get a shot goalwards, as she headed a ball in from Issy Moore just wide of the target.
City needed time to settle into the game more, as they began to make great use of the right wing to test the Aysham back line.
Megan Todd gained possession deep into the hosts’ half, orchestrating a lovely step-over after cutting in from the right to set up Shaw, who poked her effort narrowly wide.
The most convincing effort of the opening 15 minutes came from a Moore strike on the edge of the area, forcing Parker in goal to punch behind for a corner.
Against the run of play, it was Aylsham who found the breakthrough, a lob from Christina Papadopoulou outside the area evading Locker in goal for the Canaries and finding the back of the net just before the 20-minute mark.
City were behind for all of three minutes though, a corner from Densley finding Morran who nodded home from the back post.
That feat was then replicated almost perfectly five minutes later as a cross from Moore on the right found Snelling at the same back post, who headed home to turn the game around and put the Canaries in front.
The lead was further extended by Hailes after 30 minutes, with a low curling strike into the bottom right corner.
The Canaries then sealed the first half with a tidy finish from Densley, who coolly slotted home from inside the box to make it 4-1 at the break.
The second half opened with less intensity from Cook’s side, with no clear cut chances for either side but City very much still in control of the game.
Some fresh legs saw the introduction of new signings Poppy Francis and Drew Wilson, both getting their first minutes in a senior Canary shirt.
After a subdued half an hour and some knocking on the door from City, Shaw was in the perfect position to head in a fifth for Norwich with less than five minutes left on the clock, soon also adding a sixth.
The win means they progress to the semifinal of the competition, facing Wroxham Women on Wednesday, April 9.
Feature interview
Ceri Flye
City centre-back Ceri Flye was in the spotlight this week to discuss the recent run of form, a work-lifefootball balance and looking ahead to today’s fixture.
It feels like our fighting spirit is back and there’s a slight sense of relief in the group. How good was the win against Ashford Town?
Ashford was a very positive performance. It was a real team performance and it was good to get back to playing the football we know we can, scoring some goals and getting the all-important three points! It’s important to remember the season is very long and we won’t be defined by one or two poor performances, so to put that behind us and move on shows the character the group has!
Although you weren’t at the game, last week we also progressed into the semi-final of the County Cup; was that another good confidence boost for the team?
Yes, definitely. It’s always refreshing to have a break from the league and to have a good cup run! Also, it’s always a good opportunity to rest some players and give others some important game time as we have such a competitive squad this year with a good strength in depth. The County Cup is definitely something we will be looking to retain this year.
As seen by your socials, you’re very well travelled! Is that how you most prefer to spend any down time you have? Where was your favourite trip of 2024?
I do enjoy travelling and experiencing new places and cultures whenever I can! I feel incredibly lucky to travel as much as I do alongside football, university and work but it’s always something I look to do when I do have a break. It’s a tricky choice but my favourite trip of 2024 was probably Malaysia - the food and culture was amazing!
We now have six out of nine remaining games at The Nest. How much do you and the squad love playing in front of a home crowd?
I know it’s a big boost for the girls playing at The Nest in front of the fans. They are always a massive motivation for us and spur us on when we need it! Their support does not go unnoticed, and we appreciate them all.
We face Dulwich Hamlet next. When we visited Champion Hill on the first day of the season they were loud and very competitive - what do you remember about that fixture?
It was a great game to be involved in. The atmosphere was exciting to play in and to come away with three points on the opening day of the season was even better. We’ve definitely grown a lot since that day as a squad and are looking forward to the challenge they will give us this weekend.
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We haven’t played this side since the first day of the season. What do you make of their first run in this league?
Considering they got promoted last season I think their campaign has been impressive. They’ve had some good results and we know the threat they will bring is not something to be underestimated. The league is so competitive this year and the standard of football being played is high.
Despite a minor blip in our season, you’ve still managed to have a fantastic campaign, with 11 clean sheets in all competitions. How
much do you love playing with players like Hope Strauss, Sarah Quantrill, Tamsin Medd-Gill and Millie Daviss this season?
I’ve honestly loved every minute of it. I feel like our defensive unit is so strong this year. Me, Hope and Quants have a really strong connection and playing with them feels so comfortable and I trust them completely. Mills has been such an asset this season. I’ve been so pleased for her as she was unlucky with injuries the past two seasons but this season, she’s been fantastic and I love linking up with her on
Me, Hope and Quants have a really strong connection and playing with them feels so comfortable and I trust them completely.
the right hand side. Then Tam has been a great addition to the squad this season. Her experience and versatility has been key for us and she plays such an important role.
You’re balancing studying alongside training three times a week and a matchday - how do you do that and find down time for yourself?
Sometimes it’s really difficult. Trying to balance football and studying has its challenges but can also be very rewarding. It’s important to remember you can’t do everything at once and I just try and manage my
workload as best as I can. When I do find some down time, I love going for a run as I find it helps me clear my head and prioritise!
Finally, what are your personal goals for the remainder of the 2024/25 season?
Just to keep improving and helping the team as much as I can. I enjoy playing under pressure and feel like we’ve got so much still to play for this season. I know as a defensive unit we’ve spoken about a target number of clean sheets and I wouldn’t mind getting another couple of goals too!
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Opposition Overview: Dulwich Hamlet
This afternoon we welcome Dulwich Hamlet to The Nest for a Division One South East tie.
The Hamlets secured promotion from the London and South East Regional Women’s Premier Division last season, beating rivals Dartford by three points.
The newly promoted side currently sit ninth with 17 points after five wins and two draws.
Not shy of goals, Dulwich have had no need to rely on one standout goal scorer, with 16 of their 26 players
having netted this season and six having scored three or more.
Natalie Taylor the holds title of top goal-scorer, with four to her name.
Their most emphatic results came from a 2-0 win over at-the-timeleague-leaders Actonians and a 7-0 win over Ashford Town.
Dulwich’s most recent outing saw them beat London Bees in a County Cup fixture last weekend, and they picked up a point in a 1-1 draw against Seaward the previous week.
Get to know...
Issy Moore Lauren Hailes
Place of birth
Norwich
Position
Centre-midfielder
Nickname Is
First pair of boots
Umbros
Favourite food
Roast dinner/avocado
Favourite drink
Ice coffee
First choice of snack
Snickers bar
Last thing you do in the dressing room before a match
Dance around
Pre-match song of choice
Voulez Vous by Abba
Who do you sit next to on the bus to away games
Sienna Booty
Favourite film
The Croods
Place of birth
Norwich
Position
Centre-midfielder
Nickname
Hailsey
First pair of boots
Nike
Favourite food
Olives
Favourite drink
Apple juice
First choice of snack
Flapjack
Last thing you do in the dressing room before a match
Tie my boots
Last holiday destination
Cornwall
Who do you sit next to on the bus to away games
Eloise Morran
Favourite film
Harry Potter
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Wroxham v Norwich City Wednesday, April 9 7.45pm KO
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