FA Women’s National League Division One North

York City Ladies 1 (O’Flaherty 21’)

Leeds United Women 5 (Darcie Greene 2’, Woodruff 11’, 38’, Gibrill-Keating 82’, Sanderson 86')

York: Mindenhall (GK), Smith, Gatt, Buckle, Trickett (Atkins 20’), Benson, Shaw, Bell, O’Flaherty, Ash (Shannon 73’), Astle (C). Subs not used: Marshall, Watt.

Leeds: Simpson (GK), Millard (Dixon 64’ (Williams 87’)), Legge (C), Cassidy, Elliott, Hughes, Sanderson, Smith (Bentley 75’), Darcie Greene, Woodruff (Gibrill-Keating 75’), Drew Greene (Ellis 87’). Subs not used: Oates (GK), White.

Venue: University of York Sports Centre

Referee: Matthew Coles

Bookings: N/A

Five-star Leeds United Women beat York City Ladies 5-1 on Sunday afternoon in the FA WNL Division One North thanks to four different scorers, as they maintain pressure at the top of the table.

An early goal from Darcie Greene, brace from Amy Woodruff, substitute finish from Sian Gibrill-Keating and powerful header from Brittany Sanderson secured all three points for Leeds at the University of York Sports Centre.

Simon Wood named a side with one change from the draw last time out against Durham Cestria, bringing Izzy Elliott into the starting lineup in place of Ellie White who took her place on the bench.

The Whites made a perfect start, as only two minutes in, Shauna Legge’s long ball was headed on by Woodruff to the path of Darcie Greene.

The makeshift winger, beating Annabell Mindenhall, lofted the ball into the back of the net with composure to give the visitors an early lead!

Less than 10 minutes later, Leeds made it two through Woodruff! Izzy Elliott fizzed the ball to our number 14’s feet, before she spun past her marker and prodded calmly into the bottom corner to double the advantage!

However, despite the Whites pushing hard for a third goal, the hosts halved the deficit as Amelia O’Flaherty converted from close range.

At the half-an-hour mark, Carrie Simpson was called into action as she made a crucial save to prevent an equaliser, tipping a powerful header over the bar after another dangerous York corner.

Eventually the pressure from Leeds paid off, as a deep cross was parried by Mindenhall only as far as Woodruff, who pounced and scored her second of the afternoon to restore the two-goal advantage!

Woodruff nearly secured her hattrick in the first half as she headed slightly wide from a free kick, before Matthew Coles blew the whistle shortly after with the Whites heading into half time with a 3-1 lead.

HALF TIME: York City Ladies 1-3 Leeds United Women

As Leeds sought to start the second 45 like the first, Kath Smith played Drew Greene into the box. The winger beat the defender and tried to catch out the ‘keeper at her near post but forced a smart stop instead.

Darcie Greene then forced a smart intervention as she looked to square the ball to Woodruff for a tap-in, after Sanderson played a smart through-ball to the winger.

Still prying for a fourth, Woodruff did well to beat her marker on the right wing before forcing the ball through to Drew Greene, who chopped back and forth before narrowly clearing the bar with her strike.

With 20 minutes to play, Alice Hughes found herself in space on the edge of the area, and took aim for the bottom corner, forcing some more smart action from Mindenhall to prevent the deficit increasing.

As the clock ticked closer towards full time, Simon Wood introduced Gibrill-Keating and Sophie Bentley into the mix, and immediately after, Hughes sent a header just over the bar from another dangerous set-piece.

Fresh off the bench, Gibrill-Keating successfully made her mark, as she fired into the bottom corner to make it four in the last 10 minutes, following some really hard work from Drew Greene to win the ball back in the opposition’s box!

Adding another to the scoreline, Sanderson rose highest from Drew Greene’s cross to the back stick, and she thumped a header into the back of the net to make it five for the Whites!

This was the final scoreline as Matthew Coles blew the full time whistle, with the Whites maintaining the pressure at the top of the table.

Next time out, Leeds welcome Wythenshawe Women to the Bannister Prentice Stadium in a week’s time, kick off 2pm in the FA WNL Division One North.

FULL TIME: York City Ladies 1-5 Leeds United Women