Hannah Campbell scored a hat-trick against her former side on Wednesday night as Bradford City claimed the County Cup trophy, the Bantams beating bitter rivals Leeds 6-0 to clinch the title for a third season running.
It took just five minutes for the floodgates to open as Campbell scored the first of her 14-minute treble. Rachel Lee added one amidst Campbell’s free-scoring, while Danielle Whitham’s effort took it to 5-0 after only 23 minutes.
The second half saw Leeds shore up a bit at the back, meaning fewer chances for the Bantams. Rosie McDonnell saw a goal dubiously disallowed after the referee blew for a foul, while Aqsa Mushtaq came off the bench and hit the post.
There would be a sixth though, deep into stoppage time from Chantelle O’Hara’s corner. The delivery created chaos in Leeds’ six-yard area and would eventually make its way into the back of the net, via a deflection.
The County Cup stays in City’s trophy cabinet for another year then, after they have dominated the area for a third successive campaign.
The Bantams started with splendid intent, being direct and positive from the off as they looked to upset a high capacity crowd prominently vying for the underdogs.
McDonnell’s cut-back was fired over by Whitham on three minutes, serving as a warning of what was to come.
However, Leeds continued to give City space and joy out wide, and it was on the opposite flank where they would be made to pay by Shauna Legge, and then Campbell.
Legge brilliantly got past her marker and then squared for her teammate, who coolly tapped home against her former side to break the deadlock on five minutes.
City were spurred on by this early breakthrough and would double their lead two minutes later through Lee. The midfielder was given the space to strike from range, and so she didn’t hesitate to drive the ball into the bottom corner.
McDonnell could have made it three on nine minutes when she intercepted a bad pass in defence, but her eventual shot was straight at the ‘keeper.
The Bantams didn’t have to wait much longer to get their next goal though, with Campbell on hand to give them it on 14 minutes, effectively spelling game over for Leeds.
Just to be sure though, her hat-trick really wrapped things up five minutes later. Charlotte Stuart picked the ball up in the heart of defence and surged forward, picking out Campbell with a great through ball whose composed finish rounded off a high quality goal and gave her a deserved treble.
Whitham was then put through on goal to make it 5-0 after only 23 minutes, emulating the composure shown by her hat-trick scoring teammate with the finish.
The rest of the first half continued in the same vein, despite a lack of goals. Alarna Fuller, O’Hara and Campbell would all put chances wide, while Whitham tested the ‘keeper before the whistle.
Leeds showed a bit more resistance after the interval and had a good five-minute spell where they pumped set pieces into the area to trouble the Bantams.
Yet, City stood tall and resisted the pressure, with a goal line clearance the most they had to do to keep their clean sheet.
After withstanding this dominant but short period from Leeds, the reigning champions were back at it, controlling the game and looking to add to the scoreline.
O’Hara had come close two minutes after the break when the ‘keeper acrobatically denied her, and she made another chance for herself when she danced through Leeds’ box with incredible ease, only to see her eventual shot deflected just wide.
McDonnell created a couple of big chances at the end of the game too, seeing substitutes Emma Elliot and Mushtaq head over and hit the post respectively, but City would have to wait until the 92nd minute to get the sixth goal they were after.
It was a scrappy one; O’Hara’s corner somehow finding its way into the back of the net, but it rounded the game off nicely as the Bantams were crowned champions once more, and deservedly so.
Photos: Alex Daniel