AMY Wood's senior debut has been described by Bradford City Women player-manager Charlotte Stuart as "the proudest moment" of her coaching career.

Wood played all 90 minutes of the reserves' 5-0 defeat to Middlesbrough as the Bantams were punished for starting slowly.

Yet the 16-year-old's display served as a reminder that the team is there to develop players first and that the future for City is a bright one.

"I think that is quite possibly the proudest moment of my coaching career," said Stuart, who coaches Wood in City's under-18s as well as managing the first team.

"As a coach, you're there to develop players, so to see Amy earn a place in the reserve team was a proud moment.

"I have coached her for four years now and she will be the first to say she has worked extremely hard to get this opportunity."

Injuries to Laura Midgley and Hannah Brierley meant the reserves had just two defenders fit for Sunday's game.

With first-team players unavailable, Wood was handed her first taste of senior football – and she took her chance to impress.

Stuart said: "Amy's debut was absolutely spot on. She had a tough task against one of the strongest players on the pitch but battled well, worked hard up and down the pitch and did the job we asked."

Despite the circumstances surrounding Wood's call-up, this was a richly deserved opportunity.

City opted against rejigging things to suit the senior players available to them and were rewarded with sticking to their system and offering youth a chance.

This will not be a one-off either, with Stuart having worked tirelessly towards this moment since she revived the Bantams' junior section.

"Four years ago when I started my role of football development officer, it was always with the vision to have our own youngsters progressing into the senior teams," she said.

"We didn't have any junior teams then and now we have eight, from under-tens to under-18s. It is a very exciting time for the club. The future looks bright."

Wood is among a handful of under-18s who have trained with City's reserves in recent weeks and her debut is evidence that if they work hard, they will get their chance.

With two more games left this season, more could follow her path – although Stuart remained coy about the possibility.

She said: "I don't want to say too much about the other girls just yet, apart from watch this space."