Northampton Town Women won 2-1 against Cambridge United in their second pre-season friendly at Sixfields Stadium on Saturday.
The Cobblers’ fixture at home to the side who finished eighth in the FA Women’s National League Division One South East in the 2022-23 season was played directly following the men’s first team match against Leicester City.
The hosts started brightly and created an early chance as Fay Noble’s curled shot from the edge of the area was tipped behind by the ’keeper.
Beth Artemiou played Jade Bell through down the right on the quarter-of-an-hour mark, but the Cambridge stopper denied her low strike with her legs.
The visitors opened the scoring against the run of play midway through the first half, a speculative effort from a tight angle looping over Katie McLean and in off the far post.
The Cobblers almost made an instant response as Kim Farrow flicked a header narrowly wide from TJ Warren’s cross.
And Ruby Heselden powered home a header from a corner to equalise a few minutes later.
Half-time substitute Alex Dicks came close to turning the game on its head on the hour mark, bearing down on goal and hitting the inside of the post with Bell free in the middle.
Bell forced the ‘keeper into a diving save with a shot from the edge of the box soon after, and found the bottom corner to give the Cobblers the lead at the end of the next attack.
Cambridge were denied by the woodwork going into the final quarter-of-an-hour, as a corner was cleared back out wide and captain Zoe Boote diverted the follow-up onto the base of the post.
The visitors attacked again five minutes later, this time striking the crossbar with a placed shot from a cutback.
But the Cobblers held on to their one-goal advantage to make it two wins from two at the start of pre-season.
Oldfield and Williams’ side travel to Needham Market in their third friendly match next week. Their opponents finished third in the Eastern Region Women’s Football League Premier Division last season.
Cobblers: Katie McClean, TJ Warren, Bianca Luttman, Vicky Barrett, Ruby Heselden, Zoe Boote, Beth Artemiou, Fay Noble, Mia Richards, Jade Bell, Kim Farrow
Substitutes: Holly Mayfield, Keira Doig, Rhea Patel, Alex Dicks, Charlotte Murphy