Durham Women claimed another top flight scalp with victory over Everton in the Continental Tyres Cup.
Lily Crosthwaite’s first of the season handed the Wildcats a big win to end their calendar year.
While it was the Toffees who began brightly – Durham having to deal with some early pressure – it was the visitors who began to dominate proceedings.
And with the first real chance of the game, the Wildcats struck.
After winning the ball back in the middle of the park, Beth Hepple threaded in Crosthwaite who kept her cool to fire into the far corner.
Further chances followed, with Hepple seeing a header well-saved by Courtney Brosnan and Mollie Lambert only denied a last-ditch sliding block.
Everton saw plenty of the ball but failed to carve out a host of opportunities, although Aggie Beever-Jones did see a curling effort from 20 yards clip the outside of the post.
Durham continued to threaten in the second half, with Maria Farrugia only denied a stunning goal from range by the fingertips of Brosnan.
The same player came close again after the hour mark, but was again thwarted by the Everton stopper as the Wildcats continued to ask serious questions of their hosts.
Lambert saw a goal-bound effort blocked while Crosthwaite almost netted a spectacular second after a mazy run.
As the game wore on, it continued to be the visitors creating the better chances with substitutes Jess Clarke and Rio Hardy both coming agonisingly close in the late stages.
And while Everton saw plenty of the ball, they failed to carve out any real opportunities – although Naoisha McAloon did have to stand tall to deny Izzy Christiansen in stoppage time.
But Durham defended well and saw out a deserved victory.