Norwich City Women's failure to build upon Ceri Flye's equalising goal was one of the main reasons for their defeat to Queens Park Rangers, according to Canaries boss Andy Cook.

Flye cancelled out Grace Stanley's opening goal with a header just before the hour mark at Loftus Road but City ended up on the losing side of a close encounter for the second weekend running.

Substitute Meila D'Santos fired home the game's winning goal for QPR four minutes from time, which means City's wait for a first league victory since September will continue into the final month of the year.

Cook felt the outcome of the match could have been very different if his team had approached the last 30 minutes better.

"We've got to recognise those moments," he said. "We did a lot of work this week in regards to how we impose ourselves on the game and how the game changes throughout a 90 minutes, and that was one today.

"The first half was very much (about) us in terms of how we were winning the ball.

"(In the) second half, once we got that equaliser, we had to step on, and the game plan became about how we could really impose ourselves on the game.

"It's a game we've got to look back at and make sure we improve on that, because we didn't finish the game well enough."

The City head coach added: "We've got to stop crosses, we've got to make sure we're getting our passes right, our touch. All of those little bits have got to come together.

"Winning football matches is very hard, and when you're winning, people take it for granted.

Ceri Flye finds the net against QPRCeri Flye finds the net against QPR (Image: R.S.BROWN)

"There's a very good group of players here, and this is what I'm always thinking about, and where the team can go, and where the club wants things to go.

"That was the focus, and that's why we've worked in the way that we have. We want to work through those principles and the things that we want to achieve as a football club.

"Unfortunately, we're not getting the rewards for that right now."

Sunday's defeat in west London saw City fall to sixth position in the Women's National League Division One South East, with virtually all of their promotion rivals collecting maximum points.

However, Cook does not believe the state of the league table is relevant at this stage of the season.

He stated: "Looking at the league is a bit false until everybody has played equal games. When everyone has played 10 or 15 (games), that's when you can really work it out.

"When we get to February time and everyone is equal, that's when we'll know where we are and what we need to do."

Megan Todd pressures the QPR defenceMegan Todd pressures the QPR defence (Image: R.S.BROWN)

Leading goalscorer Natasha Snelling was a notable omission from City's squad, with Cook choosing not to include her.

He explained: "We were just focused on the players that were here and present with us today.

"Arguably, with the scoreline, you could say she (was) missed, but ultimately, we had enough chances and opportunities. We've done well with her, we've done well without her there, and the team has to perform and try and work."

Cook was coy while discussing Snelling's absence, and when asked if she will feature in next week's FA Cup match against Leafield Athletic, he said: "It depends on the week and how she works really."

City midfielder Eloise Morran feels the fixture against Leafield represents an opportunity for the team to bounce back following a challenging few weeks.

She declared: "We've got to take it on the chin, know the feeling that we're feeling right now, and use it to push us on, come together and look forward to next week.

"We all know it'll come. If we keep working, we all know the quality we have within our squad. We're just looking for improvements each week and I'm sure those wins will start coming again."

Norwich City (3-4-2-1): Quantrill (c); Flye, Strauss, Bishop (Moore 46); Daviss (Cook 72), Medd-Gill, Morran, Tomlinson (Todd 72); Kennard, Symonds (Booty 81); Shaw. Unused sub: Locker.