It was six of the best for Manchester City Women, as the Blues sailed six points clear at the top of the Super League table with a thumping of Doncaster Belles.

Six goals without reply from different scorers secured an excellent victory, as Lucy Bronze, Jill Scott, Jane Ross, Jennifer Beattie, Kosovare Asllani and Toni Duggan wrote their names onto the scoresheet on a memorable afternoon at the Academy Stadium.

The performance was as impressive as the scoreline suggested and could have been even more flattering – such was the hosts’ ruthlessness and dominance. With Nick Cushing’s side setting the pace atop the table, though with maximum points and no goals conceded, there are few complaints!

Although the Blues had little time to prepare for this encounter after Friday night’s encounter at Sunderland, the Blues’ boss opted to make just one change from the side that won 2-0 against the Black Cats, as Duggan, who found the net with her first touch at the Hetton Centre, replaced Daphne Corboz.

Just seven minutes had passed before the hosts broke the deadlock. Duggan floated an excellent cross-field ball to Nikita Parris, who then fed Bronze. Though the angle looked tight, the right-back drilled into the bottom corner.

Three minutes later it was 2-0 as Scott collected an attempted clearance from Demi Stokes’ cross and smashed home.

City were well in control.

The wave of pressure on the Doncaster goal continued as the home side went in search of a third.

Duggan almost found it but shot straight at Nicola Hobbs, and the shot-stopper was called into action on numerous occasions, producing fine stops to deny Ross, Parris, Scott and skipper Steph Houghton.

Parris also saw a header cleared off the line before the home side extended their lead five minutes before the break.

Once again, the in-form forward was involved and was unlucky to watch her effort hit the bar but Ross was on hand to bag the rebound – her fifth in six games.

The celebrations had barely died down when Beattie made it 4-0, rising to plant a bullet header into the back of the net and there was even time for City to net a fifth before half-time, when Parris squared for Asllani to covert her first competitive goal for the Blues.

The onslaught continued into the second half. Within seconds of the restart, Bronze had an attempt scrambled off the line and Parris had struck the crossbar again.

Despite their five-goal advantage, the hosts were in no mood to take their feet off the gas, in the knowledge goal difference could prove crucial come the end of the season. The chances continued to arrive but fine stops and last-ditch blocks prevented the sixth – that was until the 74th minute.


Duggan added the sixth of the afternoon when Parris was released down the flank and crossed for her England teammate to convert at the backpost.

Stokes almost netted a seventh with a rasping shot which sailed just wide and Bronze struck the crossbar in injury time, but Duggan’s strike would complete the scoring, handing City a fine gap at the top of the table to pile pressure on Chelsea, who have games in hand.

City now have a break before their next league encounter – a trip to their title rivals Chelsea on 19 May.