Norwich City Women: Hat-trick hero Lauren Hailes stars in Ashford win

Eighteen-year-old Hailes has made more substitute appearances than starts since the beginning of the new season but played a starring role in Sunday's victory, netting all three of her goals before half-time.

Natasha Snelling and Ellie Smith inflicted further damage on hosts Ashford after the break to cap off a successful afternoon for the Canaries, with fellow fast-starters Real Bedford only managing to draw against Chatham Town.

Cook has made no secret of the selection headaches he has been given since arriving in Norfolk, so praised Hailes for grasping her opportunity.

He said: "The six goals were fantastic, and credit to Hailesy (for) getting the start and getting a first-half hat-trick. (They are) very rare in the game, and she was brilliant.

"She took her chances well and did exactly what we wanted from that position by driving forward and getting us into a good position.

"For her third goal, she's hit one, it's gone to the left-hand side of the goal, the keeper's dived, and I don't think any keepers in this league, even at tier three, would get close to that one. It was a great shot."

While Hailes' third effort was Cook's favourite of the trio, home goalkeeper Emma Vigolo was deceived by an audacious chip for the midfielder's superb second.

Modestly, Hailes was keen for the assister of the goal to be acknowledged.

"It was an unbelievable ball from Smithy to play me through," she said. "She slotted it right through the centre-backs, so that was really good from her.

"Those are the ones you practice in training. So you already know you can do it, you've just got to have belief and a bit of fun.

"Back in the youth days I did (score a hat-trick), but this is my first senior one, and first for the Norwich first-team."

City Women's Lara Densley in action (Image: R.S.BROWN)

City were fluent in attack on their visit to Middlesex but also continued to look sturdy at the other end of the pitch, with Cook picking out two players who have been key to their defensive improvement this term.

He explained: "Issy (Moore) and Quants (Sarah Quantrill) for me have been two standout players in this early part of the season. Quants' communication behind the backline gives them confidence, and she makes sure they are organised and structured.

"And then you add in Issy's ability. Issy's a central midfielder, and she will play central midfield, but when people come and watch her play, everyone goes away going: 'How good's Issy Moore?' And she's playing left-back.

"She hasn't played there before, so we're working on it and we're developing her.

"She's ultimately taken her opportunity because Tommo (Lauren Tomlinson) is injured. Issy's done brilliantly to fill in there for her.

Ellie Smith bagged a brace (Image: R.S.BROWN)

"Three clean sheets on the trot now for her, the backline, and the whole team, is fantastic."

Before their next league fixture, City will take on a different challenge in the form of Brighton & Hove Albion Academy in the Women's National League's newly-designed Plate competition.

"They're a WSL academy with very good players," Cook said of the Seagulls.

"We've got players that are probably younger than the players in their squad, so it'll be a very tough game. I'd expect a very organised, structured game plan from Brighton, or any of those academy sides.

"I think it's a good thing for the game that those under-21 teams are going to be coming up against players that they won't have experienced before.

"A 16-year-old won't have had to face an experienced player like Smithy (Ellie Smith) who runs at them and drives around them, because it's constant passing at that level.

"That's not just our game, it's throughout the competition. It's good for them, and good for the longevity of the game that they're now in it."

Norwich City (4-2-3-1): Quantrill (c); Medd-Gill (Daviss 88), Flye, Strauss, Moore; Morran (Knights 88), Hailes (Powell 88); Cook (Densley 88), Smith, Kennard (Shaw 88); Snelling.