SSFC Women’s spirited display wasn’t enough in Bradford City defeat

South Shields Women’s spirited display wasn’t enough on Sunday as they fell short to NERWFL Premier Division promotion favourites Bradford City AFC Women.

The team made the two-hour trip and put in a solid shift, with some excellent defensive work on show, but the lasses were left undone by a first-half penalty, a close-range shot and a header as they lost 3-0.

Shields remain in fifth place ahead of their next game, where they will make the mammoth visit down to Brunsmeer Athletic Women, but they can leave with their heads held high.

Sydney Schenk offered the hosts the first opportunity of the game when she forced Anna Yeakey into making a diving stop just a few minutes after the opening whistle blew.

That perhaps set the tone for what the 90 minutes would look like, as Bradford City showed why they remain top of the division throughout the game.

Hannah Markey, who would score twice, then rattled a header off the crossbar in the early stages.

Natalia Campbell was unfortunate not to get on the end of a deflected header, after Madison Bouggess had found Annabelle Forster waiting in the 18-yard box.

Natalie May did fantastically to get a touch past captain Monika Stube and thread a through ball over to Bouggess, who cut inside and pressured ‘keeper Tiffany Whelan who fell to her left and parried it – Forster was called offside and couldn’t guide the rebound into the back of the net.

Campbell made contact with Millie Washington in the box as the game approached the half-hour mark and the referee awarded a penalty to the hosts.

Markey made no mistake from 12 yards out to give Bradford City a lead they would not relinquish.

Although the Mariners had their moments in front of goal, the hosts grew more composed as time progressed and this is what led to their second and third goals in the final 15 minutes.

Aaliyah Nolan was responsible for the finish to make it 2-0 as she went through on goal in the 77th minute; she then struck the ball beyond Yeakey.

Credit must go out to Yeakey for a stunning goalkeeping performance, as her work was invaluable in terms of keeping Shields in with a chance for much of the match.

Six minutes later, substitute Mia Jacobs weaved past Julie Raffel before hitting a cross towards Markey, who promptly netted her second goal of the afternoon.

The lasses now have a long journey to Sheffield to look forward to when they take on Brunsmeer Athletic on Sunday – full match details to be confirmed in the coming days.

Bradford City AFC Women: Whelan, Barraclough, Washington, Todman, Fernie, Markey, Martin, Ramsden, Schenk, Paley, Stube.

Substitutes: Harris (did not play), Sales, Nolan, Nelson, Jacobs (all played).

Goals: Markey (30’, 83’), Nolan (77’).

South Shields Women: Yeakey, May, Killeen (Campbell 45+4’), Forster, Campbell (McDonald 38’), (Killeen 67’), Wootten, McMahon, Hoot, Rodriguez, Bouggess, Raffel.

Unused substitutes: Miller.