Bradford City Women fell to a 3-0 defeat at home to Leeds United in a fixture originally scheduled to be played in September.
The first game was abandoned before half-time after City’s Chelsea Sandford and Leeds’ Molly Hovard sustained serious injuries in an accidental head clash.
Yesterday’s rearranged fixture was not confirmed as playable until as late as 10.30am on the morning of the match, following a pitch inspection at Eccleshill United’s Mitton Group Stadium.
The Eagles had been forced to postpone another of their own home fixtures due to the continuing poor weather, the night before.
City started brightly, with Harriet Jakeman’s first-minute snap-shot being easily gathered by Leeds goalkeeper Georgia Wattam.
The majority of the first 15 minutes were played out in the middle third, with both sides enjoying time on the ball, but with very little end product.
That changed in the 16th minute when Millie Kenyon picked up the ball on the edge of the City box and Aimee Routledge could only get fingertips to the ball as it found the corner of her goal.
Former Leeds goalkeeper Routledge was called into action again, before the interval, as she saved brilliantly from Rebecca Hunt, then watched as Emily Cassidy blazed the rebound over, from close range.
Leeds started the second half brightly and doubled their advantage when Holly Findlay’s cross found Kenyon, who looped a header over the stranded Routledge - from around 10 yards out.
Most of the second half followed the same pattern, with the ball spending more time in the air than on the ground as the pitch turned increasingly boggy.
City had a good chance with 20 minutes remaining. After some excellent build up play, Jemma White’s through ball found substitute Ellie Prothero unmarked, but she saw her shot saved by Wattam.
With just two minutes remaining, the visitors were awarded a penalty as the referee adjudged Routledge to have fouled Abby Parkin.
It was Hunt who stepped up to fire the spot-kick home and secure the points for United.
The Bantams host Ripon City Ladies at Woodhouse Grove School in the West Riding County Cup, this weekend, over the inaugural Women’s Football Weekend.
CITY: Routledge; Roberts ©, Shepherd, Parrish, Sales; Woodcock, Stuart, Norde, Stube (Prothero 61’), White, Jakeman. Subs (not used): Dyson, Maxted, Sumaili.
LEEDS: Wattam; Hamill, Hannon ©, Hunter, Smart (Parkin 74’); Cassidy, K. Hunt (Shuttleworth 66’), R. Hunt Brown (Ash 61’); Kenyon, Findlay.
REFEREE: Gavin Hock.