The postponement of last week’s big match at leaders Chorley has left Steve Winterburn’s Bradford City side with a mountain to climb in the Northern Women’s Combination League.

City have four games in hand on Chorley but have eight points to make up and face a further eight games to complete their season – and they are fast running out of time.

Thackley AFC, where City play home games, holds the key to ultimate success with games against Liverpool Feds on Sunday and Sheffield United Community on Wednesday evening.

An away game against Leeds City Vixens follows on Sunday, April 28 and Chorley are due at Thackley on Wednesday, May 1.

It is a huge task but Winterburn’s squad has been enlarged by the availability of A team players after their season finished with a 5-0 defeat at home to champions Rothwell in the North East Regional League (South). Keighley Oaks complete their season next week, as do Ossett Albion, against Rothwell but Keighley and Ossett clash on Sunday in a game that will effectively decide the ‘wooden spoon’ and probable relegation to the West Riding League.

In the West Riding Premier Division, Bradford Park Avenue helped their survival cause with a 1-0 win over title-chasing Harrogate Railway thanks to a Sarah Huby goal, only to crash 8-0 in the second game of their double-header.

After losing 3-2 to Ossett Town in midweek, Avenue play the return on Sunday still desperately needing a win.