SOME of our local women’s football teams were involved in the West Riding County Cup, a competition for first teams.

Bradford (Park Avenue) were up against Methley United (Blacks) in a Round-of-32 tie at Horsfall.

Despite the visitors playing in a lower league — the Women’s Beginner League, Developers’ Division, five divisions below Avenue — it was an even first 20 minutes. Both sides looked for a breakthrough, until Bethany Vickers opened for Bradford. Methley were looking good, playing fast, and looked like they could match their higher-level opponents. Methley did have a few chances, but were unable to finish, many shots going wide. Both teams were getting caught off-side, and there was good play from Avenue defenders ’Liv Duxbury and Lou Molinari. Avenue’s captain Jade Nelson created a 2–0 advantage at the break.

The second half was played in biblical sideways rain. Vickers got her second to put a 3–0 cushion between the teams. Methley tried to get back in the game, but eventually BPA’s fitness won out. Maizie Robinson completing the scoring for Avenue, the 4–0 win sees them at Brighouse Town Juniors in the Round-of-16 on December 17th.

Silsden Juniors were up against Bradford City Women — who play two divisions higher in the Regional Premier — in front of an excellent crowd of 230.

The first half was very even, but City were clinical, Kanisha Underdown scoring two excellent goals.

The Bantams were more dominant in the second half, but could not extend their lead due to the Dragons’ resolute defending and an excellent keeper. The next round sees City at home to holders Halifax FC.

Skipton Town were at Sherburn, looking for revenge after being knocked out of the WRCWFL Cup.

The ‘Mighty Whites’ were 1–0 up at half-time through Sophie Hawkins. Emily Throup added another, but Sherburn clawed two back for a 2–2 full-time score to send the tie to penalties. The hosts’ ’keeper Kelly Beckett made two outstanding saves to make it 4–3 in the shoot-out and send Skipton out.

Thackley were 2–0 down at home to Leeds Modernians, who put in a strong display against a resilient Dennygirls. Lois Cooper pulled one back for a 2–1 score-line at the break.

Mods’ left-winger Aimee Myers’ hat-trick made it 5–1, before Thackley fell apart, leading to an unfortunate 9–1 final score-line.

Myers also plays with Bradford City’s Football & Education u19 side in the Community & Education Alliance on Wednesday afternoons.

In a seven-a-side match against Lincoln City, the Bantams were losing 3–1 at half time.

Bradford fought back to get 4–3 in front, but a lapse in concentration saw two goals in two minutes to put Lincoln back in front at 5–4. However the Bantams scored two late goals to take a 6–5 win — a finishing masterclass from both sets of players, with Girl of the Game awarded to Grace Ross.

Avenue and Leeds Modernians had a fairly-even first half in their West Riding County League, Premier Division game at Horsfall. Mods’ Aimee Myers’ shot hit Avenue defender Lou Molinari on its way in, to put the visitors 1–0 ahead at half time. Shauna Power smashed the ball into the back of the net to make it a 2–0 loss for Avenue at the end.

Skipton Town Firsts’ Emily Throup scored both goals in her team’s 2–0 win, as Harrogate Railway were caught on the break either side of half time.

In County First, Ilkley Town Firsts had a bad start against Farsley Celtic Women. Lauren Rigby hit a blinder of a free-kick, following this up with a looping 30-yarder to put the Celts 2–0 up. However Ilkley scored two to make it all-square at the break.

A shot from Amyleigh Pearce on the edge of the box, looped over the keeper to put Celtic back in front. However Ilkley scored three more to put them 5–3 ahead. Evie Smith scored in time added-on, not enough to stop Baht’atters winning 5–4, including two from player-of-the-match Emily Reader-Harris, in a great advert for local women’s football.

Burley Trojans had a hard-fought County Second match against a good Garforth side. A battling performance gave Troggs a 7–2 win, featuring a Heather Fisher hat-trick, plus goals from Charlotte Keane, Britt Tate, Holly Limon and Nic Frankland.

In County Third, Field striker Meg Sparkes took 40 seconds to open up the scoring at Crofton Sports with a great goal. Great link-up play led to Sparkes’ second, then Meg Schofield shrugged off a defender to bag Field’s third goal. Crofton’s striker took her chance with style to pull one back before the break.

After Crofton put away a penalty, Field stepped up their game, mounting the pressure on a hard-working Crofton defence. Sparkes grabbed her hat-trick, sneaking the ball into the bottom-left corner, and the 5–2 score-line was finished by Sarah Binns.

Tyersal caused problems for hosts Leeds Hyde Park Seconds, Sophie Woodrup’s goal coming from a corner. More chances came in the second half but there were no further goals in Tyersal’s great 1–0 win.

WRCWFL Cup Round-of-16 (selected), to be played on Sunday: Ackworth v. Silsden Juniors; Bradford City u21 v. Knaresborough; Brighouse Town Juniors v. Eccleshill; Farsley Celtic Women v. Goole and Thackley v. Brayton.

Elsewhere, Farsley Junior Firsts put in a brilliant performance as they recorded a second win in the Regional Northeast League, 7–1 against Sheffield United Community, Sarah Lawn with a hat-trick.

Leeds United were hoping to continue their FA Cup run at Darwen, league rivals of fifth-tier West Didsbury & Chorlton, whom they’d beaten in the previous round.

On the half-hour mark, Jess Rousseau picked up the ball outside the box and smashed it in off the post, left-footed. But just before the hour mark Rachel Wood equalised with a close-range header, from Alicia Johnson’s corner. There were no further goals, so the game went to extra time and penalties. Unfortunately one of Leeds’ shots was saved, meaning Darwen go through 4–3 in the shoot-out, and local interest in the FA Cup has finished for this season.