Durham Women suffered their third consecutive defeat as they were defeated 3-0 by Manchester City in the final game of the Continental Cup group stages.

City took the lead through Krystle Johnston when she met a Natasha Flint cross and doubled their advantage when England International Toni Duggan calmly sent the ball past Danielle Hill.

It was the away side who looked dangerous from the start and created a number of chances but it was the superb goalkeeping of Danielle Hill that kept the Wildcats in the game.

The best of Manchester City’s chances came when Johnston found herself through on goal only for Hill to produce a fantastic save to deny the attacker. Hill continued to produce some fine saves, denying Toni Duggan and Izzy Christiansen respectively.

Johnston made the breakthrough in the 27th minute meeting Flint’s dangerous cross to send a half-volley into the back of the net.

Ten minutes later the WSL 1 side doubled their advantage when Duggan slotted the ball into the net to see City’s continued pressure pay off.

Half-time and it was 2-0 to Manchester City.

City continued to pile the pressure on the Wildcats, who were finding it hard to keep possession of the ball and found themselves chasing the away side.

Duggan and Flint both had efforts from distance but both were off target and allowed Durham the chance to regroup.

The Wildcats had played some good passages of play in the first half and a well-worked throw from Vic Linsley saw Kate Bradley thread the ball forward to Beth Jennings who had acres of space to run into. However the attack fizzled out as she was unable to find a teammate as City cleared their lines.

That attack sparked life into the Wildcats and they were having great success playing the ball up to Jennings who was causing a problem for the City defence. The youngster was through on goal again but this time was judged to be offside by the linesman.

City searched for a third goal as they continued to have plenty of possession but strong tackles from Bradley and Sarah Wilson made sure that the Wildcats did not concede another goal.

Entering the final stages of the match, City got their third goal of the tie through Jill Scott who headed in Danielle Young’s cross after a splendid display of football. 

Wilson found herself further forward in the final moments of the match and found space to stike a left-footed shot that just went over the bar.

The final whistle blew and sealed Manchester City’s place in the semi-finals of the Continental Cup.