Northampton Town Women won 3-0 away to Sheffield in the FA Women’s National League Division One Midlands on Sunday afternoon.
Jade Bell scored a brace whilst Laila Channell netted the Cobblers’ other goal as they extended their unbeaten run to five games.
Joint-managers Josh Oldfield and Liam Williams made one change to the team that won away to Sutton Coldfield Town last week, as Paige Ridley replaced Zoe Boote in the starting lineup. Katie McLean captained the side in Boote’s absence.
The Cobblers created more opportunities in a scrappy first half.
Bell’s shot from Fay Noble’s cutback was blocked on the line and Alex Dicks’ close-range follow-up was denied by Leah Kellogg.
Bell forced Kellogg into a diving save with a low shot across goal and Mia Richards’ first-time drive from long range was pushed wide by the ‘keeper.
Sheffield squandered a huge chance to take the lead on the quarter-of-an-hour mark as Sadie Smith was found in space at the far post, and McLean was quick off her line to deny the attacker one-on-one.
The Cobblers opened the scoring 10 minutes before the break when Bianca Luttman found Bell with a lofted pass, and the forward curled into the far corner.
The visitors seized control of the contest after the hour, a defender diverting Richards’ volleyed ball across the face of goal narrowly over her own crossbar.
Sheffield should have equalised against the run of play moments later, but Smith sliced wide having broke through on goal.
The Cobblers doubled their advantage within a minute. Bell slipped in Noble, she pulled the ball back and Channell side-footed into the bottom corner.
The defender turned provider a few minutes later as Bell sprinted onto her through ball, cut inside and slotted past two covering defenders on the line.
The visitors could have increased their lead in the last 10 minutes, but Dicks’ shot across goal was beaten away by Kellogg, Noble’s effort from a tight angle was cleared off the line and Bell placed wide of the near post having latched onto Noble’s clipped pass.
Oldfield and Williams’ side host Leafield Athletic next week. Kim Farrow scored a brace whilst Bell and Dicks scored the Cobblers’ other goals as they won the reverse fixture 4-0 in November.
Cobblers: Katie McLean, Paige Ridley, Vicky Barrett, Bianca Luttman, Ruby Heselden, Georgia Gale, Mia Richards, Fay Noble, Laila Channell, Jade Bell, Alex Dicks
Substitutes: Holly Mayfield, Zoe Boote, TJ Warren, Ona Ndefo, Paris Mallon
Photos: Clive Stapleton
