Durham Women FC picked up their fourth league win of the season courtesy of Nat Gutteridge’s late header.

Gutteridge seized upon some hesitant Sheffield defending to head home from close range with six minutes remaining to seal the win.

Earlier on, Beth Hepple had struck the bar for the hosts with Chelsea Flanagan following suit for the visitors.

The two sides had met only 11 days before in the FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup, with Sheffield running out as victors.

But it was Durham who began this encounter the brightest, with debutant Tyler Dodds having an early impact as her cross was met with a flying Gutteridge volley which went only narrowly wide.

Chances continued to flow, with Jordan Atkinson firing wide for the hosts before Jodie Michalska fashioned an opportunity for Sheffield only to see her effort fly high and wide.

Michalska was the next to threaten, with her fierce drive only narrowly over just before half-time.

Despite the game being goalless at half-time, you still sensed a goal were to come.

And Durham must have thought they’d taken the lead when Hepple let fly from the edge of the area, with her effort striking the underside of the crossbar before being cleared from danger.

Sheffield, though, threatened more in the second half with substitute Chelsea Flanagan proving a menace.

Becky Salicki did well to close down her fierce shot before Ellie Gilliatt fired over from distance.

Flanagan then struck the bar herself with fifteen minutes remaining as her fierce drive from a tight angle cannoned off the bar and over.

Both sides seemed desperate to wrap up the win, but it was to be the Wildcats who who grabbed the elusive goal when Draycott couldn’t hold a corner and Gutteridge was on hand to head home.

There was still one late scare as Helen Alderson had to be alert to deny substitute Hannah Cain from close range, but the hosts saw out the remaining time to secure a vital victory.

Durham: Alderson, Macek (Eadon), Wilson, McFadden, Hepple, Gutteridge, Atkinson (Darkoah), Salicki, Christon, Dodds (Gibson), Lee

Subs Not Used: Borthwick, Adamson, Corrie

Attendance: 369