YORK City Ladies are the Interior Design Women’s County Cup champions after an incredible 10-0 victory over Thornaby Women’s at the Riverside Stadium.

A phenomenal effort from Chris Holloway’s York side saw the Minsterbelles wrap up their competitive season with a well-deserved trophy, after a superb performance at Sky Bet Championship outfit Middlesbrough’s home ground.

It caps off last weekend’s confirmed safety in the Women’s National League Division One North after a shock 2-0 triumph over Middlesbrough.

City had overcome York Railway Institute Ladies, Middlesbrough Women’s under-23’s and T.I.B.S Women’s to reach the final stage of the competition, with Thornaby their opponents after defeating York’s Ladies Development side in the semi-finals.

Holloway’s side began the match on the front foot after some excellent football in midfield allowed Milly Ash to test the Thornaby goalkeeper, who couldn’t keep the Minsterbelles out for much longer.

In-form striker Sophie Tinson put York ahead after meeting a teasing cross from captain Nikki Brown, nodding an effort past the shot-stopper just five minutes into the final.

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And not long later, it was two for City, with Brown and Tinson linking up again to double the advantage.

Another expert pass from Brown allowed Tinson to break into space before hammering an effort into the roof of the net.

With 16 minutes player, York extended their lead to 3-0. A first of the evening from Jess Holder saw Tinson’s strike partner dispossess Thornaby on the right, before evading multiple challenges and bending an effort into the far bottom corner.

The goals continued to flow for Holloway’s side, with a phenomenally-struck free-kick from Ocean Rolandsen seeing the Thornaby goalkeeper rooted to the spot, with City now comfortably in control.

Ash continued to search for her first of the evening, but was again denied by the Thornaby goalkeeper, before Holder’s strike was also smothered.

With the half-time whistle approaching, Thornaby’s evening was made to be even sourer after an injury forced the goalkeeper off-of-the-field, with an outfielder placed in between the sticks for the remainder of the match.

After Holloway made four changes at the break, York maintained their impressive performance and carried their efforts over into the second half.

Rolandsen’s cross found an onrushing Ruby Gore at the back post, but her nodded effort couldn’t find the target, with City keen to add to their score-line.

They wouldn’t have to wait much longer, with substitute Lucy Lendhill rifling a powerful effort past Thornaby’s makeshift shot-stopper to add a fifth.

Faye Singleton would curl an effort wide before Lucy Duffield bagged a sixth for the Minsterbelles, capping off a superb move with an exceptional strike from the edge of the area.

And just 12 minutes later, Duffield claimed a brace with another incredible effort from the edge of the area, again capitalising on Thornaby’s fragile state to provide a 7-0 lead for York.

With 20 minutes remaining, Thornaby will have been hoping for their night to end early. But Duffield had other ideas, netting her hattrick at the Riverside.

Arguably the best of the night, Duffield completed her hat-trick with an incredible strike from distance, beating the Thornaby goalkeeper and moving City closer to double figures.

Gore would see two opportunities fall short of the target, before Lendhill netted her second of the night with five minutes remaining on the clock, slotting a strike beneath the Thornaby shot-stopper.

And as the Minsterbelles entered stoppage time in an-already celebratory fashion, Singleton rounded off a memorable evening for the football club with a composed finish into the bottom corner, writing history under Holloway.

A truly remarkable evening for York, whose season has now come to a close in an incredible fashion, and plenty to be encouraged about heading into the 2024/25 campaign.