Norwich City Ladies came within inches of holding South East Division One champions elect Wimbledon at Plantation Park as they went down to a 2-1 defeat.
From the start, Norwich sent a clear message to Wimbledon by taking the game to the league leaders.
Norwich enjoyed significant possession and mounted a number of attacks on the visitors' goal. The hosts were then forced into an early substitution as Chelsea Garrett came on for the injured Charlotte Broad.
Soon after Brydie Siryj went close, beating Holly Wright the Wimbledon keeper one on one, only to be thwarted by a last ditch clearance by the arriving full back.
However, Wimbledon struck first, when Georgia Heasman's free kick beat Eilish Brogan's outstretched hand, finding the net.
Soon after on 41 minutes Wimbledon doubled their advantage from a free kick, as Caroline Bisson made it 2-0.
Norwich stepped up a gear in the second half and, with just five minutes played, were rewarded by a stunning strike by Chelsea Garrett from an acute angle.
After halving the deficit Norwich were buoyant and mounted wave after wave of attacks on the Wimbledon goal.
With time running out and everything to play for Norwich threw all they could into attack, even Norwich keeper Brogan came up for a corner but was unable to turn a ball into the net.
With just minutes left to play Laura Thacker's header beat the Wimbledon keeper but agonisingly struck the bar and Wimbledon held on for all three points.
With no points to show from this hard fought contest, Norwich were disappointed but encouraged and now must switch their attention to this weekend's home fixture against Luton Town Ladies.
Norwich: Brogan, Daviss, Love, Diston, Thacker, Moerkerk, Durrant, Snelling (McDonald 65), Broad (Garrett 23), Drake, Siryj (Stanley 75). Subs not used: Parker, Ward.
AFC Wimbledon: Wright, Wylie, Measures, Trimnell, Billingham, Sargent, Searle, McLaren-Johnson, Bisson, Whelan (Stanley 60), Heasman (Banfield 70). Subs not used: Salgado
Referee: Paul Gibson
Attendance: 56
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here