Halifax Women net late goal at Durham to extend winning run

Another goal for Farah Crompton, as well as first Halifax goals for Megan Sheehan and Aleesha Collins saw the team over the line.

The winning goal came with only five minutes of the 90 remaining, when Crompton raced in behind the Durham defence and lashed the ball into the roof of the net, sparking jubilation for the visitors.

Following an impeccably observed minute’s silence, remembering Matt Beard and Maddy Cusack, it was Halifax who took the lead after only four minutes, when Collins swivelled and hit home with her weaker left foot.

But there was an instant fightback by Durham, who equalised only five minutes later, as Francesca Ward pounced on a loose ball in the box, after Halifax were unable to clear.

Durham then began to establish some more control over the game, with Mollie Finch in the Halifax goal being forced to make two wonderful saves, with the most notable being a acrobatic tip over the crossbar after a fabulous strike from Grace Mackie, seeing the game to half time at one goal a piece.

It was Halifax who would have the next big chance early in the second half, with a long distance strike from Eva Buckley striking the underside of the crossbar, which looked to have crossed the line as it bounced down, but the officials deemed it as no goal, much to the visitors' frustration.

The woodwork then worked in Halifax's favour, with Megan Sheehan crashing one in off of the base of the left post, putting her team back into the lead, just after the hour mark.

But once again, Durham hit back, with Lleucu Mathias coming off of the bench and scored the hosts’ second equaliser of the game, although it eventually proved fruitless as Crompton smashed home the winner less than eight minutes later.

Despite Finch's first half saves, it was Amelia Lydiatt in the Durham goal who was the busiest of the two keepers throughout the game, making a strong save low down to her left hand side to deny Collins her brace late in the first half, as well as an outstanding reach to deny Buckley and tip over the crossbar early in the second.

Before Mathias' goal to equalise the game for the second time, Durham did have chances of their own, with Halifax captain Anna Phillips having to make a strong defensive header from her own goal line, while Grace Forster and Eden Varah struck just over from distance.

Halifax welcome Huddersfield to Myra Shay next week, where Mitchell and his team will hope to carry their sparkling league form into the league cup. As for Durham, they remain at home, as Sunderland's U21s team comes to Shildon.