FA Women's National League Northern Premier Division: Bradford City WFC 0 Sheffield FC Ladies 5

BRADFORD City WFC’s hopes of avoiding the drop took a real hit as they crashed to a 5-0 home defeat to relegation rivals Sheffield FC Ladies.

The game started at a frantic pace and within the first six minutes the visitors had two clear shots on goal, although both ended up in the car park.

City’s first chance came on 13 minutes, when a through ball saw Rhianna Wright run clear, but Sheffield keeper Elizabeth Hobson stood her ground and smothered the shot.

Sheffield continued to press and Aimee Routledge was called on to make a number of good saves.

But on 39 minutes City failed to clear their lines from a goalmouth scramble and Holly Housley stabbed home to give the visitors the lead.

Within a minute, Sheffield doubled their lead as Milly Wortley thumped the ball over Routledge’s head.

With less than a minute to go to half time, Pearson made it three, drilling a low shot into the bottom corner past the unsighted Routledge.

Sheffield continued to lay siege to the Bradford goal in the second half, and Routledge was again called into action a number of times.

Then on the hour mark Giampalma got her name on the scoresheet with a finish from 12 yards out, as City appealed for offside.

Less than a minute later Sheffield had a penalty and Housley confidently stepped up to thump the ball past Routledge who was unable to recreate her heroics of last week.

City manager Steve Winterburn made a double change after that, replacing Wright and Charlotte Sales with Falone Sumaili and Eleanor Ramsauer.

The Bantams started to apply some pressure and looked to have won a penalty, but the referee waved away appeals from the players and supporters.

Two minutes later Sumaili picked up the ball and played a pass through to Jakeman, but again the officials stepped in and flagged the City forward offside.

Sumaili was back in the action not long after, running clean through on goal but her shot was easily saved by Hobson.

The game fizzled out after that, but it was Sheffield who went home with the win, opening a 13 point gap on City, who now face a real uphill struggle to catch Sheffield and Doncaster.

Bantams manager Steve Winterburn said: “Since the start of my reunion with the club, today was my biggest disappointment as the new manager.

"Some players’ approach in the second half was more positive. Even though we are looking towards next season we have no excuse as a team to put on such a poor display in front of those that come to watch and those volunteers who help at the club.”

City travel to seventh-place Middlesbrough this weekend.

Bradford City Line-up: Routledge, Roberts, Clark, Edwards, Parrish, Gill, Moulden, Norde (c), Sales (Ramsauer, 65), Jakeman, Wright (Sumaili,65)

Unused sub: Donnan