Norfolk kicked off with the conditions seemingly in their favour, but little was created by either side in the opening exchanges. A clearance by Laura Thacker cannoned off Carty of Essex but as the ball fell to Rushen, she was closed down by Kate Parsons before she could shoot. 16 year old Hayley Peverely was making her Norfolk debut and had made a confident start, producing an excellent tackle to deny Smith as she tried to set up an attack for the home side. A long punt from the back by Parsons was almost converted into a chance for Nicola Bray, but the Norfolk striker saw her shot pushed around the post for a corner which came to nothing.
Essex was beginning to dominate and missed a glorious chance to take the lead when Wilson blasted over the visitors bar from only six yards out. Paige Shorten then tried her luck from 25 yards, but her effort failed to trouble the home keeper. There were signs that Norfolk were beginning to get a grip on the game, with both Bray and Jodie Drake narrowly failing to break the Essex offside trap. Then a good ball from Beth Bygrave led to a scramble in the area and produced an appeal for hand ball. As the ball ran loose, Drake fired just wide from the edge of the box. Good play between Carty and Smith of Essex created an opening for Smith, but she shot straight at Holly Clark who saved easily. As half time approached home goalkeeper Dimambro pushed a shot from Bray around the post and from the resultant corner, produced a brilliant point blank save to deny the same player. As Norfolk ended the half on top Dimambro then tipped a drive from Shorten over the crossbar.
Half Time Essex 0 Norfolk 0
The second half had begun quietly until a long ball out of the Essex defence saw Rose latch on to it just before it reached Norfolk keeper Clark who was adjudged to have committed a foul just outside the box. Referee Jane Johnson took no further action and the free kick from Longhurst was pushed clear by Clark. Good work by Emily Coates, now playing in a more central role, set Shorten free to break into the area but her shot flew wide of the far post.
The home side took the lead in the 55th minute when an innocuous looking free kick from around 35 yards, looked to have some wind assistance as it sailed into the roof of the visitors net. Norfolk tried to respond and Shorten was once again off target although she looked the Norfolk player most likely to score. As Norfolk pushed forward trying to find a way through, Essex delivered the perfect counter punch, breaking clear, the ball fell to Rose who made no mistake from 15 yards.
Now two down, Norfolk’s luck on the night was summed up when skipper Gemma Farman tried her luck from 25 yards. Her dipping shot skidded up off the greasy surface, hit the goalkeeper on the shoulder, went up onto the crossbar and back into the hands of the goalkeeper. As Norfolk pressed, Essex had a couple of good chances to kill the game off, but whilst not playing well, Norfolk pulled a goal back when Bygrave fired home from 20 yards with five minutes left. Alas that proved to be the last real effort on goal from the visitors and so a good run of results came to an end. The side deserve great credit for their recent run of form and let’s hope they bounce back straight away.
The travelling Representative Committee named Chelsea Garrett as Norfolk’s player of the match.
Full Time Essex 2 Norfolk 1
The Women's final game of the season is against Suffolk FA on Tuesday 16 February 2010, KO 7.45pm at Diss Town FC.