Bradford City are at the business end of the season and head coach Steve Winterburn insists his teams mean business, with the defence of the County Cup just one of the honours they are chasing.

The FA Women's Premier League season has had its disappointments for the first team in the reorganised Northern Section. Hopes of a top-three finish are fading as Blackburn Rovers now hold that position with a two-point advantage and two games in hand as City prepare for the visit of lowly Newcastle United to Thackley on Sunday (2pm).

In the Reserve Division (North), City are hoping to finally get back in action and begin the race to make up the six games and 12 points they are behind leaders Newcastle. They entertain West Yorkshire neighbours Huddersfield Town at Eccleshill United.

Guiseley Vixens failed to do City any favours last week when they went down 5-3 to Newcastle, Rachel Landricombe, Marta Mosteiro and Bethan Smith scoring for Vixens, but they can help this week if they take points from second-placed Sheffield.

A Tanya Rich goal was all the Guiseley first team had to show for their efforts as they went down 3-1 at home to Middlesbrough in Division One (North) and once again lost the top spot to Liverpool Feds. On Sunday they have an awkward trip to Chester-le-Street, while Liverpool entertain bottom club Sheffield United Community.

Brighouse Town's dreams of taking the North East Regional League title, and winning a place in the Premier League, suffered a serious setback when they lost 3-1 to favourites Hull City. They are still only five points behind Hull, with a game in hand, but they take another break from league action this week to face Hessle Town in a cup game.

Bradford Park Avenue, who are at Ossett Town, hold the key to the final placings at the top of the Women's West Riding League Premier Division.

Avenue, languishing in second bottom spot, have three games in hand on Ossett and could well overhaul them if they win those games. But, for the moment a win for Town this week would see them finish on 21 points and, if Hemsworth fail to win at bottom club Keighley Oaks, Dan Robinson's Ossett side side will move into top spot ahead of Hemsworth and current leaders Harrogate Railway.

Railway, in cup action this week, still have two games to play and are favourites to take the title but a win for Ossett Town this week will leave all eyes on next week's Park Avenue game at home to Hemsworth.

Bradford City A won 3-0 at Ilkley Town to knock Battyeford Belles off the top spot in Division Two, on goal difference, but the Belles could turn that around with a win over visiting Thornes in their final game on Sunday as City are in League Shield action against Brighouse Athletic at Ossett Albion's Dimple Wells ground (11am).

A win for Battyeford would put them three points clear but Bradford City, who would be left with two games to play, still look favourites to complete a second successive promotion and, with a far superior goal difference, they could effectively put the title beyond Battyeford with a win at Dewsbury Rangers on Sunday week.