BRADFORD City Women bowed out of the FA Women’s National League Cup at the first hurdle over the weekend.

They were taking on higher-tier Sheffield, who were captained by 17-year-old Olivia Harness.

Harness came closest to breaking the first-half deadlock, just failing to score with a header, but with the Bantams enjoying the majority of possession, it was anyone’s game.

But Sheffield scored the only goal of the contest after the break, with Molly Waite latching on to a long ball and taking it round goalkeeper Skye Kirkham to net the winner.

Veteran midfielder Charlotte Stuart was named as City’s player of the match.

Brighouse Town Women did progress in the cup though, cruising to a 4-1 win over Holwell.

City’s U23s were thumped 5-0 by their Middlesbrough counterparts in their first home league game.

The West Riding County Women’s Football League recommenced their games last weekend, and there was certainly no lack of goals.

Thackley were involved in an 11-goal thriller away to Brayton Belles for their Premier Division opener.

The Dennygirls found themselves 2–0 down after ten minutes, but were 4–2 in front seven minutes later, before their hosts got it back to level-pegging at 4–4.

The ding-dong match ended with Thackley as 6-5 winners, after a hat-trick from player of the match Carly Doyle.

The Dennygirls’ reserves were losing 1–0 after five minutes in their Second Division game at home to West End Terriers.

The game was all-square at 2–2 with ten minutes to go, before Meg Schofield scored the winning goal for Thackley.

Athletico were playing their first-ever competitive game, in a revised Third Division that consists exclusively of recently-formed or reformed teams.

Athletico played really well, as they raced into a 7–0 half-time lead against Wortley, and went on to win 10–2. The victory saw four goals from Megan Medley.

Queensbury Celtic were playing their first game at open-age after moving up from the Yorkshire Under-18 Girls Football League.

A very balanced match at Crofton saw Amelia Greaves thread a pinpoint through ball for Katie Waters to slot home just before the break, and the depleted Queensbury side battled hard to grind out a 1-0 win.

An expanded First Division saw disappointment for the local teams.

Ilkley lost 5–1 to Morley, and Phoenix lost 17–0 at Huddersfield Amateur.

Skipton Town’s Corina Riley scored first in a great game at promoted Dewsbury Rangers, but despite a good battle right to the end, they went on to lose 5–3.

Tyersal also lost 5–0 at another promoted side, Ackworth.

In the FA Cup, Silsden had a hard-fought game against Farsley Celtic Juniors.

Goalkeeper Rebecca Seward had a good match and Sophie Fagan-Gaines was on target, but the Cobbydalers lost 4–1 to their stronger opponents.