Bradford City made it into the third round of the FA Women’s Cup on Sunday with a
3-0 win over Huddersfield Town.
Their first match for almost two months, the Bantams found their feet on their return to action with a strong first hour, before going on to comfortably down their local rivals.
A Sarah Danby strike and a brace from Hannah Campbell in the closing stages of the game ensured victory for the hosts, with them now facing a long trip down South for round four – FA Women’s Super League side Yeovil Town their next opponents.
With so little football played by both teams in the last month or two, it was no surprise that the game started out as a scrappy one, with neither side managing to really string passes together.
However, it was the Bantams who dominated the first 45 minutes, with Town in fact unable to get a shot on target in the match. Their best chance to do so came early on as they breached City’s back line, but their striker hesitated which allowed ‘keeper Chloe Precious to collect in the home goal.
Campbell hit the target for Bradford just before the half hour mark, sparking a flurry of efforts from her side as debutant Ellie Olds fired narrowly over the bar from midfield moments later.
Campbell again tried her luck shortly after, but her effort was well saved by the Huddersfield ‘keeper before Paige Crosby’s improvised hook from a corner just missed as the half came to a close.
Despite a strong end to the first period for City, it was Huddersfield who came out better in the second half, rallying for the first 10 minutes or so. A free-kick on the very edge of the box was their only real chance in this good spell though, one which sailed a couple of yards over the bar.
Having rode this short stint of pressure, the Bantams were back on top as the hour mark came, with Alarna Fuller only inches away from heading in against her former side from a free-kick.
It felt like a goal was coming and it deservedly would as the clock ticked over to the 70 minute mark. It was a goal worthy of breaking the deadlock too, Chantelle O’Hara playing a lovely delicate reverse ball for Danby, the disguise on the pass completing deceiving Town’s back line and allowing the forward to coolly slot home.
Five minutes later, it was two, with Campbell getting the first of her brace with a great solo effort, evading several challenges as she danced into the box and found the bottom corner in style.
Town were really on the rocks now and O’Hara had the chance to seal the win 13 minutes from time when she raced through one-on-one with the ‘keeper. However, the visitors’ number one made a splendid save to deny City’s number four and keep her team in it.
She came to the rescue a couple more times late on too, preventing both Danby and Campbell from adding to their tallies as City wrung the changes to keep the energy levels high – Aqsa Mushtaq replacing Danby as Olds made way for Megan Tabler to make her own debut.
However, it was an earlier substitute, Rosie McDonnell, who carved out the chance for the final goal in stoppage time. Racing down the left, as she had done so dangerously since entering the fray, the teenager beat her marker before drilling to ball in for Campbell to turn and finish emphatically.
It was a super way to round off what was a super display, especially considering the rustiness that could have been on show instead.
City will prepare for their long journey to Yeovil, their fourth round tie to take place on Sunday 7 February, with a County Cup quarter-final against Farsley next week as their search for silverware continues its promising course.