Durham Women’s WSL Academy team kicked-off their 2022/23 campaign with a win over Aston Villa.
Bridget Galloway netted a brace in the opening day fixture with strikes from Lily Patrick, Ella Wilson and Grace Monkhouse sealing the win.
In their new surroundings at Chester-le-Street Town, Durham began brightly and found themselves in front with just 20 seconds on the clock.
Galloway’s persistence saw her fashion a chance in the area, and she connected sweetly with the volley to hand the hosts the lead.
And the same player would double the lead on five minutes – Galloway latching on to Wilson’s through ball before knocking it around the onrushing goalkeeper and finishing cooly.
Durham continued to apply pressure and had a third on 12 minutes as Galloway turned provider, threading in Patrick who emphatically finished at the near post.
Villa did come close to pulling a goal back, but Lucy Jamieson’s goal-line clearance denied them, before Poppy Pritchard saw a powerful drive repelled at the other end,.
A fourth goal would eventually come when a short free-kick found Wilson, who sent a rocket into the top corner from 25 yards.
The visitors started the second half brightly and pulled a goal back with a stunning strike from distance, and they enjoyed a good spell as they looked to pull another goal back.
But Durham remained a threat, and had a fifth when Pritchard’s purposeful run ended in her pulling the ball back for substitute Monkhouse to finish.
Pritchard almost had the goal her endeavour deserved late on, but was denied by the woodwork.
