Bradford City Women beat promotion rivals Spennymoor Town

That moved the Bantams back above the visiting Moors, up to fourth and just five points off the summit of the North East Regional Women’s Football League Premier Division.

Thrashed 4-1 at home by Barnsley in their final game before the Christmas break, a re-energised City have hit the ground running since their return to action, picking up 13 points from the last 15 available.

But if a walkover win over then rock-bottom Harrogate Town was followed up by fairly comfortable victories over two more strugglers in Hartlepool United and Hull United, their previous game showed they could mix it with the best.

They came away with a 2-2 draw in their away league game against Wallsend, who as it stands, will hit the summit if they win their games in hand over the top two, Barnsley and Sunderland West End.

Arguably, that fine point away from home will have given Emily Senior’s side more confidence for their weekend clash against Spennymoor than those victories against the poorest sides in the division.

But their high spirits were punctured early on at Horsfall on Sunday afternoon, having already received a warning when Laura Wilson was forced into a great save on four minutes, after Kanisha Underdown had been dispossessed just outside her own box.

Town worked a free kick deep in their own half nicely up the field, and that led to Caitlin Bates slotting the ball past Wilson to give the visitors the lead.

But after young Bantam Mia Jacobs tested the keeper on 13 minutes, the teen played a massive hand in City’s equaliser a few moments later.

She skipped away down the right before squaring the ball for the unmarked Aaliyah Nolan in the penalty area, the Bermudan international tapping home to level.

Aaliyah Nolan pulled City back level after they had conceded early on. (Image: Alex Daniel.)

Spennymoor hit back, with Hannah Markey having to make a fine goal line clearance and Wilson then forced into a stunning save to keep out a diving header.

Yet City took the lead just before half-hour mark. Underdown slipped in Prothero down the left, and though Nolan was tripped as she tried to reach the full back’s low cross, Jacobs was on hand to bundle the ball into the net at the back post.

The Bantams were on top for the rest of the half without creating any clearcut chances, and they were indebted to an offside flag just before the break which denied Spennymoor a golden opportunity one-on-one down the middle with Wilson.

Charlie Ramsden put an effort wide straight after the interval for City, before the Bantams made it 3-1 on 62 minutes.

Nolan was brought down by the keeper as she raced on to Jacobs’ through ball and Underdown crashed the subsequent penalty kick into the bottom left corner.

That seemed to floor Spennymoor, who while restricting any further big chances for the Bantams, struggled to create anything of their own.

A handball by Dani Trickett just outside the box gave them a late opportunity from a free kick on 88 minutes, but the set-piece attempt was fired just wide of Wilson’s left post.

City skipper Monika Stube was forced off in the dying seconds with a head injury after trying to win an aerial battle, but even that could not sour an excellent afternoon for City.

The Bantams are not in action this weekend, but their league campaign resumes on Sunday, February 25 with a trip to promotion rivals South Shields.