A LATE strike knocked Bradford City Women out of the FA Women's Cup.

Late substitute Faye McCoy's powerful shot from distance was the only goal of the game as unbeaten Blackburn Rovers progressed to the second round of the competition.

With the Bantams hitting the woodwork three times and enjoying the better chances against their league rivals, City player-manager Charlotte Stuart admitted defeat was a bitter pill to swallow.

She said: "It's the hardest result we've had to take all season. We deserved to win."

Blackburn are in pole position to win the FA Women's Premier League North title this season, having drawn one and won the rest of their opening nine league games.

They remain unbeaten in all competitions as well, despite City putting that record through a stern test on Sunday.

"It was a scrappy game in which neither team played well but we created more chances," said Stuart.

"We hit the bar and hit the post twice. They had one shot at the end, which was an 87th-minute winner."

City forward Hannah Campbell had the game's best chances but could not add to the eight goals from her previous two outings.

After heading wide early on, she raced on to Laura Elford's perfectly-weighted pass and beat the onrushing keeper, only for her arrowed shot to strike the foot of the post.

Blackburn, meanwhile, created little and the closest they came was from a cross-shot which City stopper Charlotte Oates tipped over the bar.

City themselves were not far away from a fortuitous goal either as Zoe Roberts' delivery from the left struck the woodwork.

They would have been worthy of victory in an organised and resilient display but instead were undone in the dying embers of the game.

McCoy picked her spot from distance and drove the ball into the bottom corner of Oates' goal to steal Blackburn the victory.

Stuart, who took heart from her team's performance, said: "We didn't play the best football due to the conditions but we battled, worked hard until the end and created chances.

"There are plenty of positives to take into the Newcastle game this Sunday."