A late fightback from Durham Women wasn’t enough as they fell to defeat at Watford.
Beth Hepple’s late brace gave the Blues hope, but they weren’t able to turn the tide away from home.
Durham had started brightly at Vicarage Road but Cat Sheppard was called into action early on to deny Phoebe Poole before Maddy Perry hit the woodwork with a curling effort.
Poole wasn’t to be denied again though and opened the scoring from close range as she converted a low cross.
The visitors reacted well and came close through Lucy Watson as she cut inside before firing narrowly wide.
Jade Pennock was then thwarted by Safia Middleton-Patel as the Blues ended the half strongly.
But just two minutes into the second period, Watford doubled their lead – Jones pinching possession and converting from inside the area.
Watson almost reduced the deficit when her curler was too hot to handle for Middleton-Patel, but the hosts added a third when Aoibheann Clancy scored directly from a corner.
Perry then netted a fourth with a fine strike from the edge of the box.
But Durham didn’t give in and pulled a deserved goal back when Hepple poked a volley home inside the box.
And the midfielder added her and the Blues’ second in injury time with a fine free-kick – but there was no time for a comeback.
