Durham Women’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup campaign came to an end with defeat against a star-studded Manchester City side.
The top tier outfit were victorious courtesy of a Jill Roord brace, bookended by strikes from Laura Coombs and Mary Fowler.
Gareth Taylor’s squad contained a number of internationals and it was testament to Durham that he named a strong line-up – with all three scorers having featured in last summer’s World Cup.
City took the lead with just seven minutes on the clock – Coombs volleying home from inside the area after a sustained spell of early pressure.
Naoisha McAloon then made a stunning double save to keep out Coombs and Chloe Kelly as the visitors ramped up the intensity, with Lauren Hemp also sliding wide after being teed-up by Bunny Shaw.
But having ridden that early storm, Durham began to create.
Lily Crosthwaite warmed the palms of Khiara Keating from distance before Saoirse Noonan was thwarted by the City stopper after a free-kick fell into her path.
The visitors, though, would strike next – Roord arrowing a sensational strike into the top corner from a tight angle seven minutes before the break.
And the Barclays WSL side continued to ask questions after the interval – McAloon denying Kelly with Shaw firing over.
A third would come through the lively Roord though, as she latched onto a through ball and dinked the ball home.
Durham still weren’t deterred though and substitute Eleanor Ryan-Doyle fired wide before Beth Hepple almost saw a corner drop all the way in.
But the fourth and final goal went City’s way – Fowler firing home to seal their progress in the competition.