Six of the best for title-chasing Bantams as they stun leaders at Horsfall
Source: Thetelegraphandargus

BRADFORD City Women blasted their way back into the North East Regional Women's Football League Premier Division title race on Sunday.

They entertained leaders Sunderland West End Ladies at Horsfall and left their visitors reeling with a sensational 6-2 home win.

It was Sunderland's first defeat of the season, after five straight wins to kick off the campaign, and saw them drop from first to third in the table.

The Bantams remain fourth in the standings but are now just four points off South Shields at the summit.

Those above City do all have one or two games in hand, but it was the ladies in claret and amber who were by far the most convincing of their title rivals over the weekend.

Shields stumbled to a 2-1 win at Harrogate Town, a surprise given their hosts have only picked up one point so far all season.

And Spennymoor Town missed the chance to go top with a 1-1 draw at Barnsley FC.

The South Yorkshire side sit sixth and are not to be confused with Barnsley Women.

The latter signed star City players Charlotte Stuart and Katy Woodcock over the summer and currently sit top of the FA Women's National League Division One North, the league the Bantams were relegated from on the final day of last season.

City, who are still waiting to appoint a permanent manager after sacking Nick Buxton in September, had looked to be missing Stuart and Woodcock before Sunday's encounter.

Their hopes of gaining promotion back to the FA Women's National League at the first time of asking had been looking a little slim, after losing three of their opening seven NERWFL Premier Division games.

That included a painful 3-1 defeat at fellow title hopefuls Spennymoor last time out, and it left them with little room for error against West End on Sunday.

Yet to a woman, the Bantams were magnificent and sent a warning message to those North-East rivals battling against them towards the summit.

Even more satisfying for City was that the goals were spread around, with five of their players on the scoresheet.

Aaliyah Nolan, whose goals have helped her national side Bermuda to the top of their group in Gold Cup qualifying, was on target, as was long-serving Ellie Prothero.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Aaliyah Nolan is in form for both the Bantams and Bermuda.Aaliyah Nolan is in form for both the Bantams and Bermuda. (Image: Alex Daniel.)

Young trio Mia Jacobs, Hannah Markey and Summer Paley all netted for the Bantams too, while a West End own goal summed up a miserable afternoon for the visitors.

Sunderland's consolation goals came courtesy of Jael Anderson and Siobhan Jones.

A quirk of the league fixtures means that West End have chance to gain revenge quickly, as they host the Bantams this Sunday.

If City repeat their victory, they could end this weekend as high as second in the table.