Mollie Lambert’s late strike saw Durham Women claim a hard-fought point at Southampton.
The midfielder kept her cool to slot home from inside the area to cancel-out Aimee Palmer’s opener and ensure the Blues took a share of the spoils back to the North East.
Adam Furness made two changes from the side that started at Blackburn last time out as Carly Johns and Hannah Blake came into the fold.
After a fairly even start, the hosts grew into the game – with Molly Pike firing over from range in the first real chance of the afternoon.
And with 19 minutes on the clock, the Saints struck. After a sustained spell of pressure on the edge of the box, Palmer’s side-footed delivery caught everyone off guard and looped in at the back post.
Durham responded well and were within inches of a leveller when Sarah Wilson steered a header wide at the back post following a corner.
Pike then struck wide in first half injury time before the Blues started strongly after the restart – Hannah Blake curling wide and Grace Ayre seeing a delivery cleared before she could connect with a header.
But Durham had to remain wary at the back and after Tatiana Saunders made a string of fine stops and blocks during a goal-line scramble, the visitors had to hack away a goal-bound Tara Bourne header.
Having survived those scares, the visitors started to assert themselves more on the game and deservedly drew level with five minutes remaining.
Eleanor Ryan-Doyle did well to keep the ball alive before Carly Johns flicked it in behind for Lambert, who kept her cool and finished calmly at the near post.
There was still time for one more big chance each – Becky Salicki seeing a header cleared off the line and Lucia Kendall firing wide at the other end – but the spoils were ultimately shared.