Women’s football: Cruel late leveller denies Charlton at unbeaten Durham

BY ROSS JACKSON

Charlton Athletic saw their hopes of victory at unbeaten Durham dashed by a late stoppage time goal in the FA Women’s Championship.

Lois Heuchan nodded the Addicks in front in the 76th minute, but Bridget Galloway scrambled an effort over the line to share the spoils at Maiden Castle.

Charlton, looking for their second win of the league season, started brightly without delivering a decisive blow with home keeper Megan Borthwick largely untested.

Hosts Durham improved in the second half and Galloway was superbly denied from close range by keeper Eartha Cumings following a Nicki Gears cutback.Seven minutes later and Cumings turned a looping Galloway effort over the bar.

Defender Heuchan connected with an inswinging corner in from the left to score. Durham kept pushing for the leveller and it finally came when Galloway popped up at the back post.

Heuchan said: “Obviously coming off of the two defeats we have had, we were so desperate to get something out of the game.

“It was a bit gutting to lose that last-minute goal. We should have got three points, but we definitely all, as a team, showed fight. If we can take that into the coming weeks we can get more than a point.

“Everyone showed up and we showed so much passion. We fought for each other and someone had someone’s back all the time.The fight we showed together was unbelievable – 100 per cent that is something we are hoping to take forward.

“If we can take the positives from Sunday then that is something we will look to take forward into the coming weeks.”

Charlton drop to 10th in the table, only two points ahead of bottom club London Bees.

The Addicks are at home to Dartford-based London City Lionesses on Sunday.

Their opponents have not played since a 4-0 loss to Arsenal in the FA WSL Cup group stage on November 4.

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