The Northampton Town Football and Education Programme South Championship Women's squad were defeated in the NFYL Trophy final at The Hawthorns on Wednesday afternoon.
Charlie Cooper and Alex Dicks (pictured) scored the Cobblers’ goals in their 6-2 final loss to high-flying North Premier Women outfit Wath Academy.
Wath edged possession early on and began to control proceedings around the quarter-of-an-hour mark, Izzy McDonald denying Louise Biggins one-on-one twice in quick succession.
The Cobblers’ first chance fell midway through the first half, Dicks latching onto strike-partner Jas Sawyer’s knockdown and shooting just over from the edge of the area.
The dangerous Biggins was involved again less than a minute later, rounding McDonald and firing wide of the open goal. However, referee Steve Martin adjudged that the Cobblers’ goalkeeper had sent her opponent off balance and pointed to the spot.
Biggins stepped up and calmly sent McDonald the wrong way from 12 yards to open the scoring for Wath.
But the Cobblers were level almost instantly, Cooper running onto Dicks’ through ball and passing into the bottom corner.
The equaliser handed the impetus to Josh Oldfield’s side, who ended the first half on top. Dicks slid in Chloe Martin and the winger’s effort from a tight angle was held by the diving Holly Mears before the break.
The half-time whistle possibly came at the wrong time for the Cobblers, and Wath restored their lead early in the second half when Eva Butler dribbled past Izzy McDonald and converted.
The striker doubled her tally and her side’s advantage soon after, turning in the box and shooting low into the back of the net.
The Cobblers began to push forward in search of a response and pulled a goal back on the hour mark when Dicks nodded in at the back post from Chloe Martin’s clipped free-kick.
Hopes of a comeback were dealt a blow a few minutes later, Wath regaining their two-goal advantage thanks to Liberty Shaw’s dipping strike from long range.
Abigail Binns put the result beyond all doubt when she smashed Biggins’ square ball home from close range with a quarter-of-an-hour to go, and Butler scored a Wath sixth with the last kick of the game.
Cobblers: Izzy McDonald, Daisy Brown, Sophie Rylance, Halle Blackwell, Ella Barber, Beth Artemiou, Mollie McCabe, Charlie Cooper, Chloe Martin, Alex Dicks, Jas Sawyer
Substitutes: Celine Ray, Emmi Carter, Sophie Taylor