Bradford City Women leapfrogged Nottingham Forest into fifth on Sunday with a 2-0 win in the Midlands.
It took the Bantams just 16 minutes to open the scoring, with Charlotte Stuart’s brilliant volley a goal worthy of breaking the deadlock.
Their first half dominance couldn’t bring them another goal, and for large parts of the second period it seemed Forest would get an equaliser, but City withstood the pressure and would seal the three points in stoppage time through Hannah Campbell’s great solo effort.
The visitors started the game like a team searching for their eighth win in nine, the only blip – for lack of a better word – being a hard fought 2-2 draw with 10 men against high-flying Blackburn Rovers last week.
They got the goal their bright start deserved too, with Rosie McDonnell’s energetic pressing allowing the ball to fall to Stuart, who volleyed it in from outside the area with less than 20 minutes on the clock.
Whilst City would go on to control the opening 45 minutes, they created few chances in a game that consisted of very few in itself.
Instead, the only other opportunity in the first period came to Forest five minutes after they had conceded. The hosts caught their dominant opponents on the break, but they blazed their eventual effort from a cut-back well over the bar.
Otherwise, chances primarily came from set plays and dead balls for the home team, but none really threatened the Bantams’ number one, Chloe Precious.
The second half was a different story. With nothing to defend, Forest pushed on massively and would put the visitors under heavy pressure throughout.
However, the only questions they posed were answered effectively by City. Clearances on the line from Paige Crosby have become almost customary over the past few weeks now, and she produced another with only six minutes of the second period gone.
This, again, was from a set piece, where Forest found the most joy. Still, at the other end, Campbell almost wheeled away in delight from a dead ball for City, but she just couldn’t convert Chantelle O’Hara’s teasing corner.
A scrappy game overall saw the Bantams pick up a handful of yellow cards as they defended their slender lead, with the hosts able to win free-kicks in the dangerous positions they wanted.
Yet, Precious and her defence stood tall to withstand any threat, and they calmed any nerves that the dugout might have been feeling in stoppage time.
Ellie Olds, fresh off the bench, rose highest to win a header in the middle of the park and Campbell wasted no time in collecting the loose ball. The striker burst forward, beating her marker for pace, and produced the perfect finish at the end to double City’s lead and seal the points.
With leaders Preston North End still in reach for the Bantams with their games in hand, it’s all positive now going forward after their ninth game unbeaten.
The team are on a real charge as the season comes to an end, and three cup finals for the club in just eight days next week only adds to the smiles currently being worn by all the senior teams.