Norwich City captain Anna Larkins admitted that losing their unbeaten league record on the final day of the season was "difficult to take" after the Canaries lost 1-0 away at Ashford Town.

While the possibility of promotion out of the Women's National League Division One South East disappeared for City prior to the last day, both players and fans had high hopes that they could complete an undefeated campaign in west London.

However, their 22nd league match proved to be one too many as they suffered a narrow defeat, with Ashford defender Anya Kinnane's early header separating the two sides.



Sarah Quantrill made a late penalty save but it counted for nothing, as City were unable to find a way through at the other end.

Reflecting on the match, which was her last in the league for the Canaries before she leaves the club this summer, Larkins said: "We wanted to finish the season on a high.

"I think going unbeaten would have been such an incredible achievement that none of us saw happening at the start of the season.

"So it is a little bit difficult to take, and I think a lot of us are going to be going home with a lot of disappointment.

"I think it just shows how far we've come as a team in all honesty, to get to a point where we could go undefeated all season.

"The girls have just got to take that into next season now, push on and hopefully win the league.

"The talent is there, it's just making sure that every single week we come away with three points. I have no doubts that they're going to win it next season, so I'll be there to watch it for sure."

City found it difficult to keep possession on what was a somewhat uneven grass pitch at Ashford's Robert Parker Stadium, but boss Scott Emmerson was not willing to blame the defeat on the surface.

He stated: "The players have obviously been here last year, and for those that weren't, we pre-empted what it was going to be like.

"In places, it's very bobbly, and one of those that you could quite easily turn an ankle on in a few little places. But both teams had to play on it, so we had to get on with it.

"It's given the group probably a little bit more character now as well, because they had to deal with it. In the second half, we dealt with it a lot better. (In the) first half we were a bit wobbly, but we move on."

Sunday's loss saw City end the season seven points behind league champions AFC Wimbledon, but in second position, which Larkins views as real progress after finishing in fourth place last year.

"I'm still so proud of what we've achieved this season and the levels we've got to," she said.

"I'm really privileged to have captained the side and played with these players because they're incredible. They're some of the best team-mates I've had on and off the pitch, and I'm just really proud of that fact.

"Hopefully, we can cap the season off with a County Cup win."

Fifth tier outfit Wroxham will be City's opponents at next Monday's final, and interim head coach Emmerson is pleased to have been afforded a full week to prepare before his team take to the Carrow Road pitch again.

He explained: "It gives us a chance to plan and get some rest into the players, because obviously there's a lot going on in the background.

"Some of them are now into GCSEs, some are into A-levels, some have squeezed their dissertations in as well, and were working on them on the bus.

"It gives them a chance just to recollect and then get together, really focus and finish the season on a high, hopefully with some silverware."

Norwich City (4-2-3-1): Quantrill; Larkins (c) (Pernet 46), Flye, Strauss, Parker; Knights (Daviss 70), Morran; Hailes (Lawrence 46), Smith, Kennard (Symonds 76); Snelling. Unused sub: Shaw.