The Wildcats fell to defeat in their return to FA WSL action against Yeovil Town Ladies.
Second half strikes from Atlanta Primus and Sarah Wiltshire were enough for the Lady Glovers, while the Wildcats will try and take heart from a promising performance.
With Yeovil sitting top of FA WSL 2 prior to the game, it was always going to be a tough test for Lee Sanders’ side.
And this was evident early on, with Helen Alderson having to make a smart stop from Ellis Hillman’s fierce drive within five minutes.
Alderson then made a comfortable save moments later before the hosts threatened through Jordan Atkinson, whose cross was just too high for the onrushing Beth Hepple.
The hosts were dealt a blow within half an hour as Nat Gutteridge was forced to withdraw through injury.
Durham were growing into the game though, and Rachel Lee brought the best out of visiting stopper Charlotte Haynes when she took aim from long range only to see it tipped wide.
Despite several attempts, neither side were able to find a breakthrough in the first half and chances continued to come after the break.
Hannah Short threatened first as she flashed a volley just wide for the visitors, before substitute Mercy Darkoah was just unable to convert Atkinson’s low cross.
It was to be the visitors who took the lead, however, as Primus finished cooly past Alderson despite the hosts’ calls for offside.
Primus almost had a second minutes later, but Alderson pulled off a tremendous lead to keep the deficit to one.
There was nothing she could do five minutes later, though, when Annie Heatherson’s flick on was neatly lobbed home by Wiltshire.
Sarah McFadden came close to pulling one back late on as she fired over from inside the area, before the Wildcats had a penalty appeal waved away when the Northern Irish international went down in the box.
The Wildcats were unable to find a way through, though, and it was to be the Lady Glovers who went back to Somerset with three points.