Norwich City Women's head coach Andy Cook praised his players for their execution of an unfamiliar defensive game plan, despite the fact the Canaries were eventually beaten 4-0 by Ipswich Town at Carrow Road.

Taking on their rivals from Suffolk for the first time since 2020, City sat deep and tried to frustrate the Tractor Girls, who play in the third tier of the women's pyramid, one level above Cook's side.

City's plan worked successfully for the first hour before Ipswich introduced their best attacking talents from the bench, who proved too strong to handle.

While Cook was disappointed to suffer his first defeat since being appointed over the summer, he felt his team performed admirably on the night.

He said: "We were able to get across and double-up on both of their wingers. Holly (Kennard) did a great job and Freya (Symonds) doubling up with Tam (Medd-Gill) and Issy (Moore) in there.

"So we were quite happy with that, and then Eloise (Morran) and Hailesy (Lauren Hailes) moving across as two midfielders was fantastic.

"We just unfortunately got undone, and then as we were looking to change things, we were going to move into a back three, they scored the second from a corner.

"Those things happen. It was difficult to take in that moment, but you can't complain in regards to the performance. Ipswich are paid to play, whereas ours are not in that moment yet.

"They're not paid to play yet, and we've got to make sure that we're doing everything we can to keep progressing the club week-on-week, month-on-month, year-on-year.

"Myself and Flo (Allen) are working tirelessly to make sure the club keeps progressing."

Goalkeeper Sarah Quantrill, who left Ipswich to join City in 2023, had a busier night than usual and shared Cook's view that it was difficult to fault her team-mates' efforts.

"I think we can be proud of the first 60 minutes," the experienced stopper said. "The way we defended, everyone put their bodies on the line and we dug in.

"It's taken them to bring their three normal starters on to kill the game off. They changed the game to be fair to them.

"We probably got tired in the end and they hit us on the attack a couple of times when we were a bit short defensively.

"It's a defeat, but now we're in the other cup so that's something to be positive (about) and look forward to."

More than 4,500 fans attended Thursday's East Anglian derby, including around 800 visiting supporters in a segregated away section, with Quantrill revealing that she enjoyed that novelty.

She stated: "You never really get to experience that feeling, so when you're in and around it and the fans are singing, (and) even getting the abuse from the Ipswich fans, it makes the game.

"In a way it helps bring the best out of you as well. Like at Dulwich (Hamlet) the other week, when they scored everyone went mental, so it's just about reacting in the right way and getting our heads back into the game.

"It's what we want. We want the fans here to add to the atmosphere, so it's all good."

As Quantrill alluded to, City's defeat to Ipswich means they will join the other losers from the National League Cup determining round in the Plate competition, which head coach Cook insists they will try to use to their advantage.

He explained: "We're now in the Plate. It's still a national competition. Derby (County) won it last year, I've won it with (Nottingham) Forest a couple of years before, beating Wimbledon, and that's exactly what we want to try and do now.

"The league is the one that we want, obviously, but if you marry it with the momentum you pick up in cup competitions, you can just keep it going.

"Hopefully they're proud of their performance, they'll keep their heads high, and we'll go again on Sunday."

Norwich City (4-2-3-1): Quantrill (c); Medd-Gill (Shaw 70), Flye, Strauss, Moore (Powell 85); Hailes, Morran; Kennard (Cook 80), Smith (Booty 90+1), Symonds (Densley 80); Snelling. Subs not used: Johnston, Locker.