Durham Women suffered only their third defeat of the season against table-topping Yeovil Town Ladies.

Annie Heatherson’s second half brace rounded-off the win after first half strikes from Sarah Wiltshire and Helen Bleazard.

It could have been a different story had the Wildcats converted some of their early chances, although Helen Alderson did keep the score down as she saved Wiltshire’s penalty.

Lee Sanders made two changes to the side that drew with Bristol City, as Nicola Gibson and Natalie Gutteridge both earned starts about cameo appearances against the Vixens.

The visitors barely had time to acclimatise to their surroundings before Yeovil took the lead – Wiltshire lifting the ball over Alderson from the edge of the area.

Bleazard almost added a second moments later, only for Alderson to tip her effort onto the bar and over.

Falling behind seemed to buoy the Wildcats, with Emily Roberts firing over from close range before the same played fed Sarah McFadden who fired straight at Beth Howard.

Despite these chances, Durham found themselves two down on 16 minutes as Bleazard fired home a free-kick from the edge of the area.

This didn’t deter the visitors though, who continued to push forward – Beth Hepple twice testing Howard while Nat Gutteridge fired over from the edge of the area.

There was a chance for the Glovers to add a third before the break as Bleazard was adjudged to have been brought down in the area.

Helen Alderson, however, had other ides and repelled Wiltshire’s spot-kick before denying the same player from the edge of the area minutes later.

The second half saw Durham push forward seeking the goal that would bring them back into the game.

Gutteridge just couldn’t convert Jordan Atkinson’s cross from close range, while Beth Hepple was agonisingly close as she saw her powerful effort cannon off the underside of the bar. 

Yeovil were still creating chances though, and Alderson did well to keep out Nadia Lawrence’s effort and Heatherson’s follow-up.

Becky Salicki then did well to tackle Lawrence as she threatened to pull the trigger before Danielle Carlton fired over from distance.

There was to be a third for the hosts as Heatherson reacted quickest to turn home a cross at the far post.

The same player then added a fourth moments later as she latched on to a long ball and lobbed it over the head of Alderson.

This rounded off a commanding performance from the Glovers, while Durham were left to rue missed first half chances.

Durham: Alderson; Gibson (Johnson), Wilson, Salicki, Christon; Hepple, McFadden, Lee; Atkinson (Eadon), Roberts, Gutteridge (Dodds)

Sub Not Used: Macek