BRADFORD City Women suffered a disastrous afternoon on Sunday, as they crashed to a 5-0 home defeat against Stockport County Ladies at Horsfall.

They are bottom of the FA Women's National League Division One North, but are only five points from safety, and had beaten County 3-2 in the reverse fixture back in September.

But Stockport gained their revenge in spectacular fashion at the weekend, blowing the Bantams away in a blistering opening quarter of an hour.

Two fantastic strikes from woman of the match Emily Bradshaw put the visitors 2-0 in front after only nine minutes.

And the game was virtually over when Francesca Davies netted a fine third for Stockport soon afterwards.

On a windy afternoon at Horsfall, City avoided any further damage until late on, when substitutes Ella Ritchie and Eva Craney-Barnie scored twice in the space of two minutes.

It was a particularly special moment for Craney-Barnie, who scored her first-ever goal for the senior side, having been at County since the age of eight.

That 3-2 defeat to the Bantams earlier in the season is now a distant memory for Stockport, with the win moving up to third in the 12-team table, behind leaders Durham Cestria and second-placed Newcastle United.

City will need something special to beat table-topping Cestria this coming Sunday, with only two wins from their 11 league games so far.

Leeds United Women play in the same division as the Bantams, but they were not in league action on Sunday, instead going up against Women's Super League giants Arsenal in the Women's FA Cup fourth round.

Leeds had done incredibly to reach this stage, and had deservedly earned this glamour tie.

Despite a brave effort, the huge gulf in class was evident at the weekend, as the Gunners romped to a 9-0 victory.

It is back down to earth for Leeds this Sunday, as they visit AFC Fylde Women in the FAWNL Plate.

In the league above Leeds and City, the FAWNL Northern Premier Division, Brighouse Town Women are in relegation danger themselves.

But they moved out of the drop zone after a crucial 2-1 win at fellow strugglers Boldmere St Michaels on Sunday.

Boldmere were the better side in the first half, but the complexion of the game changed just before the break, as home midfielder Nyah Edwards was dismissed after picking up two yellow cards in quick succession.

Lucy Sowerby gave the visitors the lead just before the hour mark, and she doubled their advantage midway through the second half.

Boldmere striker Jade Grove halved the deficit late on, just days after returning to the club from Cheltenham Town Ladies.

Fellow new signing Anna Wilcox, who has just joined St Michaels from Coventry United, almost netted an extraordinary equaliser from the halfway line at the death, but Brig's Northern Ireland international Becky Flaherty was on hand to tip the shot over the bar.

The victory puts Brighouse two points clear of the drop zone ahead of their home game against another relegation rival, Stoke City, this Sunday.