YORK City Ladies made an ideal start to their Subsidiary Cup competition with a 4-0 win at Redcar Town.

Rebecca Fevers scored a brace of free kicks, Sophie Tinson netted a penalty and Caitlin Gough rounded off the Group 'C' fixture in style.

The Minsterbelles - who play in North East Regional Women's League premier division - have had their Step 5 season formally curtailed.

In lieu of the league season, a cup competition between teams from across the premier, north and south divisions (the latter pair at Step 6) will take place.

City created a few chances in a goalless opening 25 minutes but needed a set piece to break the deadlock. Wearing the number four shirt like fellow City dead ball specialist Sean Newton, Fevers converted a free kick from the edge of the area.

From similar range just after the half-hour, Fevers made it two going into the break.

And two minutes after the restart, the referee blew for a foul on Milly Ash inside the area. Tinson stepped up to add a third.

With 17 minutes of normal time remaining, a deflected Gough effort hit the post and nestled in the net.

The other game in Group 'C' - one of five groups - between Hartlepool and Norton & Stockton Reserves was postponed.

Captain Nikki Brown said: "I think we started off a bit nervous and didn't settle into it until about 20 minutes in. Thanks to Fevers' two goals we seemed to settle and grow in confidence, we had some good link-up play down the wings and probably could have had a few more goals. We're looking forward to building on this in training ready for next Sunday's home game.

"It was frustrating having the league season made void, plus it had been such a stop-start season anyway given all the lockdowns. But we've grown the squad now and this cup competition will be a great chance for us to start gelling together and push for promotion next season.

"It's been tough not playing and training for so long, but we've all been putting in the fitness at home so we were ready for when it all resumed. We've come back and the intensity in training has been high, and there's obviously a great buzz getting to see each other again."