Durham Women were forced to settle for a point from their trip to Blackburn Rovers.
Lauren Briggs’ injury time strike ensured at least a point would head back to the North East – with the Wildcats disappointed it wasn’t all three after a dominant display.
Durham were unchanged from the win over London City Lionesses and – with a vocal travelling support behind them – started brightly at Bamber Bridge.
Rio Hardy sent an early effort inches wide of the post, but the visitors would only have to wait until the five minute mark to take the lead.
A surging run from Jess Clarke allowed her to pull the ball back for Mollie Lambert who cooly slotted home from 12 yards.
Saoirse Noonan was then denied by Alex Brooks as Durham sought a second, with Hardy thinking she had found it after her curling strike deflected off the post and in – only for the offside flag to be raised.
Lambert also came close to doubling her tally moments later after seeing a strike clip the bar, before Noonan was denied a chance to shoot after the referee blocked her path onto a cut-back.
And straight from that chance, Blackburn broke before Saffron Jordan went down under pressure from Grace Ayre in the area – with the officials deciding the contact warranted a penalty, much to the dismay of Durham.
Jordan made no mistake from the spot, although Naoisha McAloon did get a hand to her effort.
That buoyed the hosts who finished the half strongly. Megan Hornby’s dipping strike came back off the woodwork while Lambert did well to clear a towering Jade Richards header off the line.
And Blackburn carried that momentum into the second half, and took the lead on 57 minutes.
Jordan was again the scorer, clinically slotting home after breaking through on goal – despite vociferous appeals for offside from the visitors.
Durham rallied though, and came within millimetres of parity when Noonan struck the bar from distance.
Blackburn were defended resolutely as the Wildcats poured forward – but the visitors finally got their rewards in injury time.
Dee Bradley looped a ball to the back post and substitute Briggs got the telling touch as she bundled home.
And Durham thought they had won it late on when Beth Hepple fired home from a free-kick – only for the referee to chalk out the goal, meaning the points were shared.