BLACKBURN Rovers Ladies’ saw their 10-match unbeaten run come to an end as they were beaten 5-0 at Coventry City in their top-of-the-table clash.

The hosts opened the scoring after 12 minutes when Sophia Riccio was caught on the ball and Marie Gauntlett punished the mistake by finding the bottom corner.

Four minutes later it was 2-0, with Gauntlett getting her second after Lynda Shepherd failed to get enough power on her header at the back.

Danielle Sheen had Rovers’ best chance of the first half, with a shot from a tight angle saved by the City goalkeeper, but seven minutes before half time it was 3-0 when a Rovers clearance hit Helen Dermody and ricocheted into the back of the net.

On 53 minutes the Sky Blues made it four, with Samantha Quayle collecting a clearance from a Rovers corner on the halfway line and running through on goal, before finding the bottom corner with the finish.

With 16 minutes to go Dermody got her second to complete the rout, but their was still time for Kaz Boyle to have a consolation goal disallowed for Gemma Donnelly’s side.

“Coventry were deserved winners,” said Donnelly. “It’s disappointing because they played a style of football we haven’t come up against so far this season and we didn’t adapt to it.

“We struggled to keep possession of the ball, because they pressed us very quickly and didn’t allow us any time on the ball, and we have gifted them four goals.

“We’ve not conceded as many goals all season as we did in this one game, so I hope it’s a wake-up call for the players, who perhaps became complacent and expected this league to be easy.

“I’ll be looking for a reaction in training this week and for the players to step up to the plate and show how good they can be in another big game against Stoke this weekend.”