Durham suffered a 2-1 derby day defeat at the hands of Sunderland.
Emily Scarr’s 53rd minute header gave the Black Cats the lead before Katie Kitching doubled their advantage with five minutes left to play.
Michaela Foster’s corner found the back of the net in the 88th minute but it was merely a consolation for Durham as Sunderland earned their third win of the season.
Adam Furness made four changes to the squad that lost to Charlton at the weekend: Becky Salicki, Poppy Pritchard, Ella Wilson and Amber Stobbs were named in the starting eleven.
Durham nearly took the lead in the ninth minute as Poppy Pritchard raced in behind, but her shot was denied by Grace Moloney.
The chances kept on coming for Pritchard who picked up the ball just outside the penalty area, turning and shooting goalwards, but her shot went wide.
Sunderland took the lead in the 53rd minute through Scarr’s header after the delivery from Natasha Fenton fell to the forward at the far post.
Mollie Lambert created a handful of chances throughout the game and with twenty minutes to play picked the ball up on the right side of the box and sent a low shot just inches wide of goal.
Sunderland doubled their lead with five minutes left on the clock as Kitching smashed the ball into the top left corner from outside the penalty area.
Durham enjoyed a strong end to the game and managed to get a goal back after Foster’s corner was deflected off Beth Hepple into the back of the net with two minutes left to play.
Despite the Blues fighting for a second as Pritchard hit the side netting, Sunderland held on through the five minutes of additional time to seal victory in the River Wear Derby.
Durham: Sheppard, Briggs (Robson 90+3′), Toland (Jones 82′), S Wilson, Hepple, Lambert, Salicki (Blake 64′), Pritchard, E Wilson (Ayre 64′), Stobbs (McFarland 64′), Foster
Unused subs: King, Watson, Grant, Ede
Goal: Beth Hepple (88′)