LAURA Elford produced a stunning six-goal FA Women's Premier League performance as Bradford City Women hammered leaders Middlesbrough 9-2.

The Northern Division pacesetters travelled back to Teesside shell-shocked after an incredible home display, with Elford's initial hat-trick coming inside 32 minutes as she scored four first-half goals.

The striker believes the result will send a statement to the rest of the competition – even if it may have taken a while for many to comprehend.

"I think people will look at the result and think the website has got the scores mixed up," said Elford.

"There's been times before where teams have had big wins and people think, 'oh they must have got it the other way round', like we've got beaten 9-2 – but no.

"I didn't expect to get that many chances in the game at all. I thought I'd maybe get a couple at best.

"I wouldn't get that many against probably a team leagues and leagues below.

"We just worked it well. We knew what their formation was and we just set up to attack and got our reward."

Fresh off the back of a narrow win at Derby, City got off to a flyer when Elford latched on to the rebound of Abi Lee's saved shot and slotted home with ten minutes on the clock.

Boro produced an immediate equaliser but the Bantams took the lead again just as fast, with Elford left unmarked as she strolled into the area and converted Hannah Campbell's cross.

From there, City ran riot. Elford wrapped up her hat-trick before adding a fourth with a stoppage-time penalty, while Arianne Parnham scored the goal of the game in the second half when she lobbed the goalkeeper from 40 yards.

There were two more for Elford, both assisted by Parnham, while Campbell and Ellie White also got in on the act – the latter player finishing the scoring with a bang as she thumped one in the top corner.

Elford admitted: "It is frustrating that one week we can put on this performance against top of the league but another week we're struggling against teams we should be beating.

"But I think we've been working hard week in, week out at training and now, just like we did against Derby, we're getting our rewards.

"We've just got to go into training the same this week and hopefully grind out a result again on Sunday."