NICKY BROWN and girl-of-the-game Ali Smith earned York City Ladies a 2-1 win over Whitley Bay.

A second-minute corner saw York forge into an early led with Brown credited with the goal, although there was confusion as to whether midfielder Becca Dawson might have got the lost touch.

Great build-up play between Jazz Whitwell and Smith, meanwhile, led to a chance for the latter that she headed over the bar.

After the break, goalkeeper Chloe Precious made a great save to preserve the lead three minutes in, before a counter attack saw Brown, Smith and Kate Duckworth combine to tee up Whitwell on the left wing but her shot was too high for what would have been a great team goal.

Duckworth also saw a free kick saved before a great strike by Smith doubled the Minster ladies' advantage on 86 minutes.

Whitley went on to claim a last-minute consolation when a corner went in off defender Abbi Webster.

Hollie Smith (two), Sammy Terry, player-of-the-game Lou Ross and Margot Widdup, meanwhile, were all on target as City Ladies' reserves beat newly-formed Brooklyn 5-2.

Within the first minute, Terry opened the scoring and Rachel Harding was denied by a post just seconds later.

In-form winger Smith then latched on to a fifth-minute clearance from keeper Sam Knight and chipped in to double the lead.

With Smith and Ellie Randall getting the better of Brooklyn's full backs, Ross made it 3-0 on 40 minutes with an unstoppable shot.

Smith got on the scoresheet again early in the second half after breaking down the left, while Knight was equal to a couple of efforts from the league's top scorer Anna Spragg.

Midfielder Leila Daffern did manage to beat Knight, though, with a strike that crept over the line.

City responded strongly with Ross denied by a great save and Kira Robinson's follow-up attempt cleared off the line, following some heroic defending from Brooklyn midfielder Sarah Jacques.

Harding was also denied by the woodwork again, but City failed to deal with a floated ball to the back post, leaving Aimee Pickering with a tap-in to make it 4-2.

The outcome was put beyond doubt, however, when Randall charged forward and found Widdup, who finished calmly inside the penalty box to leave her team in second place and two points behind leaders Guisborough with a game in hand.