SSFC Women suffer 2-0 defeat against high-flying Bradford City

South Shields Women fell to a 2-0 defeat against high-flying Bradford City AFC Women on Sunday.

With just over half an hour to play, Millie Washington took the game by the scruff of the neck,

slotting the ball into the net while Hannah Markey's lob sealed the three points for the visitors.

The lasses came into Sunday's game hoping to bounce back following their last outing, which

saw them suffer a 3-1 defeat to Alnwick Town Ladies.

The Mariners faced a tough Bradford side, and with the last result against the visitors being a

3-3 draw at Horsfall Stadium, it seemed as though this was the time for Shields to

pick their form back up.

The game started rather well for the Mariners, with a few spells of threatening play and overall

comfortable possession.

It wasn’t until the 19th minute when Shields got their first real opportunity, thanks to the

combination of Annece Legg and Catalina Abusada.

Legg fizzed a delicious-looking ball into the box but Abusada was just unable to get a hold of it

and release a strike at goal.

Only four minutes later, Legg was through yet again. This time her thumping volley went just

wide.

Just after the half-hour mark came the greatest chance of the game yet.

Unfortunately, the chance didn’t come for the home side. However, fortunately for the Mariners, Scarlett Gowans was between the sticks.

Markey found space just outside the box and lashed a strike at goal.

Gowans saved the first strike, but the ball fell kindly back to Mia Jacobs, who couldn’t finish the rebound, before Gowans punched the ball away for a throw in to Bradford.

A fantastic double save kept the scoreline goalless going into the interval.

Shields came back out looking to start the second-half exactly where they left the first.

Co-head coaches Alex Miller and Sophie Clough made two half-time substitutions - goalkeeper Gowans came off for Anna Yeakey, and Sophie Greener replaced Jen Wootten.

The second-half was arguably flat, as neither side looked threatening at all in the opening 10

minutes.

In the 59th minute, Bradford created one of their few chances of the game, as Jacobs found

herself through on goal and released a strike at Yeakey, who made a comfortable stop at the

near post.

A minute later, Shields made another substitution as the returning Zoe Norton made way for Jaz

Elliott-Wood.

Bradford then grew into the game and created another chance 10 minutes later. This time it was

Washington who struck, following a cross from Maria McKenna, giving the visitors the lead.

Shortly after Bradford's opener, Ellie White was introduced to the field, with Abusada making

way.

With just more than 10 minutes to go, Markey bagged Bradford's second of the game.

Jacobs was played in by Hollie Barraclough but a charging Yeakey came out to clear the ball,

which dropped into Markey's path, who lobbed it into the net.

South Shields Women: Gowans, Innes, May, Greener, Legg, McMahon, Norton, Spark, Abusada, Jota, Foster.

Substitutes: Mole, White, Wootten, Elliott-Wood, Yeakey. 

Bradford City AFC Women: Fernie, Sales, Markey, Ramsden, Nolan, Stube, Jacobs, Barraclough, Washington, McKenna, Harris. 

Substitutes: Thomas, Boyce, Breckin. 

Goals: Washington (69’), Markey (79’).