ALI Smith's brace saw top-of-the-table York City Ladies get back to winning ways at Whitley Bay.

The visitors secured a 2-1 victory in the North East Regional Women's League contest to bounce back from a 2-0 defeat against Barnsley in their last outing when they were without six regulars.

Smith took just three minutes to have City's first shot against Whitley and Ruth Brazier also fired a free kick straight at the home keeper before the opening goal went in.

A strong tackle by Jazz Whitwell saw the ball reach Lou Ross who, in turn, found Smith.

She went on to shrug off the attentions of two defenders before firing a shot into the right-hand corner.

Ross then saw a goal disallowed for offside before Smith added a second on 24 minutes from a superb Whitwell cross.

A lapse of concentration gifted Bay a stoppage-time consolation but Jess Barnes put in a girl-of-the-game performance at the back.

Whitwell went closest at Barnsley when she hit the bar before the South Yorkshire side assumed control of proceedings.

Goals from Ross (2), Smith and Whitwell, meanwhile, had secured a 4-0 triumph at Hessle in the previous game.

City ladies reserves, meanwhile, got their season off to a flying start by beating Huntington 8-1 with Hollie Smith (2), Jade Harrison (2), Natalie Mortimer, Rachel Harding, Lauren Coombs, and Becca Dawson all on target.

Midfielder Vicky Robinson was named girl of the game in that match.