Durham have got off to a winning start in the FA Women’s Continental League Cup by defeating Sheffield United 5-3 on penalties at Maiden Castle this afternoon.
The two sides battled to a thrilling 3-3 draw in normal time before the hosts claimed the bonus point by winning the resulting penalty shootout.
Durham settled into the contest the quickest and they were ahead after seven minutes when Beth Hepple flicked the ball on for Rio Hardy and she fired her effort beyond visiting keeper Nina Wilson.
The Wildcats then doubled their lead after Maria Farrugia was fouled 20 yards from goal following a lung-busting charge down the pitch. Hepple took the resulting free-kick and curled the ball into the top corner of the Sheffield United net.
Quality goalscoring chances were proving difficult to come by but Durham went close again minutes before the half-time interval, although Bridget Galloway was unable to turn the ball home from a corner kick. Lee Sanders’ side were made to rue that miss moments later when Sheffield United pulled a goal back. Georgia Walters curled the ball into the far corner of the net from the edge of the box.
The second half produced some great entertainment from both teams from the very first whistle. Walters fired an effort narrowly wide from 20 yards before Galloway arguably should have scored for the hosts after getting on the end of a cross, the player failing to hit the target.
Grace Riglar then saw a close range opportunity come back off the post before home keeper Naoisha McAloon superbly denied Sheffield United substitute Courtney Sweetman-Kirk when one-on-one.
Sheffield United then equalised when Walters headed home from close range but they were level for just a matter of minutes with Durham scoring a penalty kick at the other end. Riglar caught Ayre in the box and Hepple thumped the ball in from 12 yards.
There was just no holding the visitors back and they responded yet again. Bex Rayner spotted McAloon off her line and she lobbed the keeper from more than 30 yards to make it 3-3.
Both sides had chances to win the tie late on. McAloon was required to make an excellent save to keep the ball out following a Sheffield United corner before Farrugia and Mollie Lambert missed the target at the other end.
The visitors almost claimed the win with the very last kick of the game. Rayner’s effort was saved by McAloon before Sweetman-Kirk somehow directed the rebound off target.
In the penalty shootout, Durham netted all five of their spot kicks to claim the bonus point. McAloon saved Sheffield United defender Charlotte Newsham’s penalty, the only kick to be missed in the entire shootout.
The next round of FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup matches take place on 26 October.