Sunderland Women stage stunning late turnaround to beat Durham 3-2

A debut goal from ex-Wildcats forward Liz Ejupi cancelled out Sarah Wilson’s first half opener and, when Rio Hardy netted from the spot on the hour, it looked as though the visitors would be heading back along the A690 with all three points.

But Abby Holmes, another of their former players, pulled Sunderland level with Katy Watson sending the home fans into raptures with the winner two minutes from time.

Head coach Mel Reay handed Kosovo international Ejupi her first start since joining on a free transfer earlier this month and she showed how shrewd a signing she will be as her movement and physicality caused her once teammates problems all afternoon.

It was Durham who started the brighter – Lily Crosthwaite’s looping cross almost catching out Claudia Moan and Grace McCatty then Megan Beer called on to clear dangerous crosses into the area. Moan then pulled off a tremendous save to her left as she clawed Saoirse Noonan’s shot around the post.

The reprieve lasted seconds however, as Sarah Wilson found space in the area to meet Beth Hepple’s corner and powerfully head home.

Sunderland almost found an instant response through captain Emma Kelly who cut inside from the left and fired inches wide of the far post from 20 yards before Noonan and Hepple both missed the target at the other end.

Both teams were keen to keep possession but every so often passes would go astray, and it was from one of these errors from which the hosts got themselves back into the game. Rebecca Salicki’s cross-field ball was intercepted by Ejupi who drove forward and unleashed a left-footed strike which flew past Naoisha McAloon and into to the bottom corner for her first Sunderland goal.

The goal clearly buoyed Sunderland who came out after the break believing they could continue where they had left off in the first 45 minutes. Jessica Brown found space in the box and forced McAloon to tip wide at the near post with Kelly almost catching the Irish goalkeeper out with a wayward cross.

Their momentum was suddenly halted when Mollie Lambert was felled in the box after being played through by Hardy. The latter stepped up and calmly slotted home the penalty, sending Moan the wrong way.

Durham continued to attack – Hepple and Lambert squandering good opportunities by firing over the bar – but there always seemed a way back into the game for the hosts.

The reward from their positive reaction to going behind came as the game entered the final minutes as Noonan did well to stop a goal bound effort but the ball fell perfectly to homes who couldn’t miss from five yards out.

Many would have forgiven Reay for shutting up shop but Sunderland had other ideas. After Moan had acrobatically tipped Wilson’s dipping volley away from danger, substitute Watson chased down a long clearance and poked the ball underneath the onrushing McAloon to spark wild celebrations among the majority of the 1,164 supporters who had packed out Eppleton.

Sunderland: Moan; Beer, McCatty, Herron, Holmes; Kelly (c), Danielle Brown, Joice (Watson 80’), Jessica Brown, Scarr; Ejupi.

Substitutes: Cowling, Griffiths, Ede, McInnes, Westrup.