YORK City Ladies have decided not to run a reserve team for the forthcoming season.

The Minsterbelles’ second-string had gone from strength-to-strength since remaining unbeaten and romping away with the North Riding Premier League title a couple of years ago.

They followed that with a mid-table finish in their first season at the higher North East Regional League North level and that improvement continued 12 months later, when they ended the campaign fourth, while reaching the League Cup quarter-finals.

The Belles also progressed into a first-ever County Cup final, where they were defeated on penalties by City’s first-team, who claimed a record seventh title following a dramatic 2-2 draw in Nether Poppleton.

But, with both sides now regular members of the same league, albeit in different divisions, competition rules only allow registration to one team or the other – and no interchange of players.

Fortunately, a significant number of the successful reserve team are being promoted into the seniors, with a 21-woman squad announced for their forthcoming North East Regional Premier League campaign.

The revised group features nine players from last season’s County Cup winning team, supplemented by a further nine from the reserve squad, while past favourites Jazz Whitwell and keeper Chloe Precious have rejoined from Hull and Bradford City respectively.

The Belles, who have also recruited Bradford’s Laura Midgley, return to action with a League Cup first round tie against Boro Rangers at Haxby Road tomorrow, kick-off 2pm.