York City Ladies give Brooklyn FC an afternoon to remember

The whole of the club’s girls section were invited along, with chairman Jamie Hopwood organising a meet and greet with the Minsterbelles prior to kick-off.

They were then allowed to warm up at the side of Chris Holloway’s team, and participated in a half-time penalty shootout.

Brooklyn’s older members were also tasked with being ball girls for the fixture, in which City took a huge step towards safety in the FA Women’s National League division one north with a 3-0 victory over Chester le Street Town. 

The Minsterbelles made a dream start, with Sophie Tinson firing them in front with just two minutes on the clock after following up a Hannah Collins effort that had crashed off the crossbar.

Jess Holder stung the palms of Paris Banks as she looked to extend York’s lead, but Chester le Street soon began to find their feet, with Oumou Donzo firing wide before forcing Becky Sidwell into a superb stop.

Holder continued to cause the visitors problems, curling a free-kick narrowly over before whizzing a strike narrowly wide of the top corner, but Tinson’s early effort was all that they had to show for a promising first half.

York again came out well after the break, but Elisha Hardcastle’s effort four minutes after the restart rolled safely into Banks’ arms.

The Chester le Street shot-stopper was again called into action to deny the lively Holder on the hour.

Knowing victory would propel them out of the relegation zone and above their opponents, the Minsterbelles continued to push forward, but Collins was unable to keep her strike the right side of the crossbar after a flick-on from a corner.

But Holloway’s side were rewarded with a quick-fire double inside the final six minutes of the contest to wrap up a priceless victory.

First, Tinson reacted quickest after seeing Holder’s effort parried in her direction, before converting Ocean Rolandsen’s cross to complete her hat-trick with a minute left to play.