Northampton Town Women lost 1-0 at home to Leafield Athletic in the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands on Sunday afternoon.
Joint-managers Josh Oldfield and Liam Williams made two changes to the team that won away to Sheffield last week, as Zoe Boote and TJ Warren replaced Paige Ridley and Mia Richards in the starting lineup.
The Cobblers had the wind behind them in the first half, and they created all of the chances as a result.
Laila Channell’s low cross was pushed out to Jade Bell by Colette Bell, who recovered to block the striker’s first-time shot early on.
Jade Bell controlled Georgia Gale’s pass on the edge of the area, turned and forced Colette Bell into a diving save midway through the opening period.
The hosts threatened three times in quick succession on the half-an-hour mark. Warren’s placed effort was cleared off the line by Grace Godwin, Alex Dicks’ deep corner was clawed away by the back-pedalling Colette Bell as it floated in at the far post and Jade Bell fired into the side-netting.
Warren came inches from opening the scoring on the stroke of half-time, shifting the ball into space 30 yards out and hitting the top of the crossbar.
The Cobblers struggled to get into their rhythm against the wind in the second half, and Katie McLean reacted quickly to tip a strike towards the near top corner past the post shortly after the restart.
A frustrating afternoon was summed-up when Leafield snatched all three points in the last five minutes, Seanna McCann-Lloyd driving into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Oldfield and Williams’ side travel to Peterborough United next week. Dicks and Jade Bell scored the Cobblers’ goals as they defeated their rivals 2-1 on the opening day of the season in August.
Cobblers: Katie McLean, Zoe Boote, Vicky Barrett, Bianca Luttman, Ruby Heselden, Georgia Gale, Fay Noble, TJ Warren, Laila Channell, Jade Bell, Alex Dicks
Substitutes: Holly Mayfield, Paige Ridley, Mia Richards, Ona Ndefo, Paris Mallon
