As the players warmed up and a country with postponements and snow all over. Maiden Castle looks as if there hasn’t been a lick of snow on the ground as the teams take to the pitch for this Womens Championship game.
Durham kicks the game off and its Danielle Brown who bursts up the wing to put the ball into the box for the first attack but London Bees defend well to start the game off. But London Bees break to force a corner but Billie Brooks can’t get the power on her header and Megan Borthwick makes the first save of the game.
The big chance of the game came when London Bees struck the underside of the crossbar with a fantastic effort and the ball being cleared off the line, not once, but twice before the referee’s whistle goes for a foul on Megan Borthwick. A fast paced first ten minutes on the early kick off!
Brooke Nunn was always looking a threat and once again she nearly breaks in behind but Megan Borthwick, playing sweeper keeper, flies off her line to stop the attack from becoming anything more with Bees looking to swarm forward.
As the game swings and flows Durham nearly get in behind with Emily Roberts but a last ditch tackle sees the ball taken away from her.
Amelia Hazard breaks into the area but a fantastic and well-timed tackle by Sarah Wilson just as Hazard is about to pull the trigger.
London Bees looking the most likely to open the scoring in the first 30 minutes of the game. Once again it’s Megan Borthwick who comes off her line to stop the on running Sophie McLean as she looks to beat the defence but not the not coming keeper as she saves with her feet and then hands.
Sophie Mclean seems to go down in the area and calls for a penalty but nothing is given but without a replay it’s really hard to tell if there was anything in it at all.
Durham are trying to get the ball down and pass it around but London Bees are staying resolute as the team in Blue attack. Emily Roberts is so skillful with the ball at her feet and forces a dangerous free kick just outside the box but Beth Hepple can’t convert it as it goes over the bar.
The story of the first half seems that Durham are trying to attack but Bees defending well and Bees hit on the counter but are just offside, an intriguing tie so far. Durham grew into the half as it went on that saw Evie Gane get across to cut out a great pass in behind and a shot from Emily Roberts that was tipped over the bar by Sarah Quantrill just before the end of the first half as the whistle went with the score still at 0-0.
Durham came out on the front foot and the ball seems to be bouncing around the Bees box as it comes to nothing as they manage to clear.
Durham came out with a totally different mindset in the second half as London Bees were trying to adapt to it and make sure they kept out Durham. The ball hits the back of the net for London Bees as Amelia Hazard plays in Brooke Nunn and as she connects and it hits the back of the net the flag goes up for offside.
Danielle Brown became a massive outlet for Durham as she pushed and played so well up the wing. And it was Danielle Brown that created the first effort as she pushed the ball into the area and Bridget Galloway who manages to poke the ball home to give Durham the 1-0 lead on the 52nd minute.
London Bees were now chasing the game as Durham were starting to also kick on but it was again Danielle Brown working wing that saw the ball into another chance but Sarah Quatrill was there to make sure the ball didn’t find the net.
Durham were really amping up the pressure and pushing forward as Bees were trying to match them. Sophie Quirk looks to break from the defence but as she starts to find her feet she is brought down. Sophie Quirk looked good trying to break up the wing as she wins the corner for Bees.
Danielle Brown once again was in the action as she created a chance for Mollie Lambert who blasted over the bar. London Bees seemed to be now trying to hold Durham rather than forcing them back to equalise.
Durham nearly got in behind but like Megan Borthwick in the first half, Sarah Quantrill was quick off her line to make sure that Durham couldn’t get in behind.
London Bees were still trying to knock at the door as they tried to whip the ball into the box it hit Sarah Wilson as Bees appealed for a handball but nothing given as they were trying to chase the equalizer late on. London Bees couldn’t quite do enough to force the equalizer as the final whistle went with Durham walking away with a 1-0 win.
A game of two half’s as London Bees were on top in first half and the second half was pretty much all Durham.
Durham: Megan Borthwick, Kathryn Hill, Lauren Briggs, Mollie Lambert, Sarah Wilson, Beth Hepple, Bridget Galloway, Becky Salicki, Ellie Christon, Emily Roberts, Danielle Brown.
Subs – Abby Holmes for Kathryn Hill (45), Molly Sharpe for Emily Roberts (80), Nikki Gears for Bridget Galloway (80), Rachel Lee for Mollie Lambert (90), for Dee Bradley for Danielle Brown (90).
London Bees: Sarah Quantrill, Evie Gane, Billie Brooks, Georgia Robert, Brooke Nunn, Mel Filis, Sophie Mclean, Nicola Gibson, Charlie Estcourt, Flo Gamby, Amelia Hazard.
Subs – Bonnie Horword for Gibson (61), Sophie Quirk for Filis (61), Hayley West for Sophie Mclean (70), Marianne Taho for Evie Gane (70), Tricia Gould for Brooke Nunn (77).
