IT WAS a tale of two halves as Bradford City Women went down 3-1 at Hull City Ladies.

Coach Luke Norris again took charge, looking for his side to carry all the positives from the previous Sunday’s battling performance at Derby against their seventh-placed hosts.

And he got his wish as, after only 11 minutes, Harriet Jakeman made an excellent run down the right and picked out Falone Sumaili, who slotted home from close range.

In extremely windy conditions at the University of Hull, Bradford battled hard in midfield. Norris brought in Ellen Kennedy for her first-team debut to give the side more width and pace, and she proved effective on the left for City, making some excellent runs in behind.

Sophie Parrish also came back into the team after missing the Derby defeat, and she formed a solid partnership with Zoe Roberts in the middle of defence.

The majority of the rest of the first half was uneventful, with most of the exchanges taking place in the middle of the field.

Aimee Routledge in the Bradford goal enjoyed an unusually quiet 45 minutes.

It was a different story in the second half. Hull came out fired up, and grabbed an equaliser on 50 minutes as Rebecca Beech was gifted a tap-in from close range.

Hull then went ahead on the 59th minute as Amy Kay pounced on a cross from Beech to finish from only a couple of yards out.

On 66 minutes Norris made his first change, bringing Paris Durrant on to replace the tired Kennedy.

But four minutes later he was forced into a second unexpected substitution as Zoe Roberts was clattered by a late challenge and had to be carried off. Louise Willoughby came on to make her first senior appearance.

Roberts left the stadium after the game on crutches, and Bradford will be waiting nervously for news of their experienced defender.

The disruption and injury seemed to unsettle the Bantams, who were visibly tiring in the swirling winds.

On 79 minutes Routledge looked to have conceded a penalty as she brought down Knight when clean through on goal, but the referee waved away the Hull appeals.

Then with only four minutes remaining Misty Russell thumped the ball goalwards, and Routledge was helpless to stop the ball as it was caught by the wind and nestled in the corner to take the game away from City.

Next up for Bradford is a bottom of the table clash against Doncaster Rovers Belles, the first of three home games in a row before they finish the season at Huddersfield in May.

Bradford City: Routledge, Roberts (Willoughby, 70), Clark, Parrish, Edwards, Kennedy (Durrant, 66), Sales, Donnan, Norde (c), Jakeman, Sumaili.