Harrogate Railway Ladies continued their league cup run by beating Bradford Park 0-4 and keeping a clean sheet for a three match run.
It was a fairly balanced game apart from Railway scoring all the goals with Bradford looking most likely to score from their corners, it was after only 5 minutes that Nicola Hadley got to the right corner and lifted a great cross to the back post for Louise Donnelly to run in from the left, jump high and headed into the net,0-1. Bradford responded well but again the Railway defence proved hard to beat and with skipper and player of the match Ali Purvis in top form this wasn’t looking like to change.
It was Ali who created the second goal, on 21 minutes, with a well weighted pass into the D of the box where Chloe Elphick was waiting; she turned on the spot and drove the ball into the bottom left corner, 0-2. Railway were on a roll and created three more chances and Bradford were struggling and when midfielder Jodi Hodgson was brought down Ali played the free kick into Nicolas feet who crossed in from the touch line and Emma Elliot was there to back heel into the goal,0-3.
After half time Bradford had a good spell forcing 4 corners in the first 10 minutes but were unable top make them count and as Railway broke out gaps opened up, but it wasn’t until the 73rd minute that Rail bagged their fourth when Nicola Hadley beat the off side trap and drove in a thunderous shot from 25yards out, 0-4.
Railway made three substitutions in the remaining time and all three players did well to settle in and help keep the clean sheet, particularly Katie Edmond who, with 2 minutes to go, cleared the ball off the goal line from another Bradford corner.
Another strong performance from the Railway Ladies and another round in the cup beckons.
Next week they are away to Keighley in the league.
