Barrow's Georgia Stanway was among the list of scorers as Manchester City went into their Christmas break in the Women's Super League with a 5-0 thrashing of Brighton & Hove Albion yesterday.

Stanway was brought into the starting line-up by City manager Nick Cushing after beginning the last three league games on the bench against the struggling Seagulls and the hosts emphatically put the previous week's defeat at Chelsea behind them.

Brighton goalkeeper Sophie Harris was judged to have picked up a backpass from Matilde Lundorf Skovsen, but the decision looked a harsh one.

Nonetheless, City captain Steph Houghton took full advantage as she smashed in from the resulting indirect free kick to give her side a third-minute lead.

A moment of real quality made it 2-0 after 14 minutes as Janine Beckie's cross from the right was slammed in on the half-volley by Ellen White, giving Harris no chance.

The third goal came before half-time when Houghton headed Stanway's corner back across goal and Lauren Hemp nodded in from close range.

Stanway got in on the act in the 79th minute when she got on the end of Hemp's long pass, raced around Harris and calmly passed into the empty net.

There was still time for Pauline Bremer to add a fifth for City when the ball looped in off her knee from Beckie's cross.