WORCESTER City Women battled to a hard-fought 4-0 win at league strugglers Knowle on Saturday as they extended their lead at the top of the league on Sunday afternoon.

City's victory coupled with second-placed Lye Town's shock defeat to bottom-of-the-table Crusaders means the blue and whites have a healthy seven-point advantage at the summit.

After surviving an early period of pressure from Knowle, City settled into the contest and could have scored a couple of goals before they eventually took the lead 10 minutes before the break.

Striker Olivia Mitcham was causing plenty of problems and came close to scoring on a number of occasions before captain Jess Fassnidge unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top corner to give City the lead.

Mitcham finally found the back of the net from the penalty spot as the half entered stoppage time and City led 2-0 at the break.

The league's top scorer Mitcham made the result safe 10 minutes into the second-half, applying the finishing touches to Fassnidge's cross across goal.

The visitors maintained possession and came close again on 69 minutes when Hollie Congrave's inviting cross was headed against the crossbar by Leah Ritson.

A fingertip save was forced from Knowle’s goalkeeper as a free kick, taken and won by Emma Congrave, looked likely to dip into the net before Mitcham grabbed her hattrick in the 81st minute when substitute Annie Sime had the vision to put it on a plate for City’s number 9.