Durham Women were on the end of a late turnaround as they fell to defeat against Sunderland.
Goals from Sarah Wilson and Rio Hardy looked to have handed the Wildcats victory, but two goals in the final ten minutes turned the game on its head.
After a scrappy start, it was Durham who threatened first when Saoirse Noonan saw a header clawed out of the corner of her goal by Claudia Moan.
But the visitors wouldn’t have to wait too long to take the lead as Wilson rose highest to thump home a header from the resultant corner.
Emily Scarr almost brought Sunderland level as she fired wide from the edge of the box, before Noonan almost doubled Durham’s advantage after breaking through on goal, but prodded narrowly wide.
And despite Durham dominating the ball, Sunderland would level before the break as Liz Ejupi’s powerful effort found the bottom corner.
Beth Hepple fired over before the interval as the two sides went into the break level – and the start to the second period mirrored that of the first, with few chances and plenty of transitional play.
That was until the hour mark when Durham were handed the chance to retake the lead after Mollie Lambert was felled in the box.
Rio Hardy duly dispatched, beginning a period of sustained pressure from the visitors that could have yielded further goals.
Hepple and Lambert both came close to adding a third, while Naoisha McAloon had to remain alert to keep out Ejupi at the other end.
And while the Wildcats continued to dictate the play, a set piece would prove their undoing as they entered the final ten minutes – Abby Holmes turning home after a scramble from a corner.
Wilson almost added a spectacular second to put Durham back in front moments later, but saw her volley tipped over by the fingertips of Moan.
But within minutes, Sunderland were ahead as substitute Katy Watson latched onto a clearance and finished calmly past McAloon.
Durham pushed forward late on but failed to seriously trouble Moan as Sunderland held on to claim victory.