Durham Women continued their encouraging pre-season with a win over FA Women’s National League side Huddersfield Town.
Amy Andrews (4), Jess Clarke (2), Lauren Briggs, Saoirse Noonan, Lily Crosthwaite and an own goal saw the Wildcats emerge victorious in front of a vocal home crowd.
Durham were on the front foot from the off and created some early chances – Crosthwaite firing narrowly wide and Sarah Robson just failing to convert a teasing cross.
A golden opportunity to take the lead presented itself on the 15th minute when Clarke was brought down in the box, but the forward placed the resultant penalty narrowly wide.
Clarke was then thwarted again when the visiting stopper thwarted her at close range, but Durham weren’t to be denied for long – the resultant corner from Briggs deceiving everyone and landing in the bottom corner.
That buoyed Durham who doubled their lead just five minutes later, as Andrews latched onto Erin Nicholson’s dinked pass and fired home a fine half-volley.
Clarke would then get the goal her fine play deserved as she reacted quickest to poke home from close range, with an unfortunate own goal making it four before the break.
And Durham wouldn’t have long to wait for a fifth after the restart, as Andrews pinched the ball off the goalkeeper and slotted it home.
The forward then sealed her hat-trick after confidently converting a penalty after Noonan was tripped in the area.
Substitute Tatiana Saunders then did well to preserve Durham’s clean sheet – twice denying Huddersfield from close range – as the hosts continued to pour forward.
Noonan reacted quickly to her saved header to net a seventh before Clarke netted the eight after a mazy run into the box.
Crosthwaite then curled home following a short corner for nine, before Andrews’ quick feet and cool finish made it ten.
Durham XI: McAloon (Saunders), Briggs, S Wilson, Robson, Lambert (Holmes), Andrews, Crosthwaite, Salicki, E Wilson, Nicholson (Noonan), Clarke
