Bees hold firm to deny Durham

Table-topping Durham Women were rocked as London Bees picked up their first point of the FA Women’s Super League 2 season in yesterday’s goalless draw.

In a wind-affected first half, on a bitterly cold day at New Ferens Park, both teams struggled to judge the swirling breeze.

The home side did create chances though with Sarah Wilson heading wide of the near post on 10 minutes before Jordan Atkinson’s cross was flicked on to a post by Abi Cottam.

Zoe Ness then worked a yard of space on the edge of the box, nine minutes before the interval, but curled an effort wide.

The Bees threatened on the counter, Lucy Loomes’ superb cross-field ball finding Paula Howells. However, the latter’s strong effort was pushed clear by Helen Alderson.

Ness nearly had the crowd out of their seats in the 76th minute, but her clever turn and shot in the box was claimed by keeper Nicola Hobbs.

Durham would come even closer to scoring six minutes later when Atkinson’s drilled cross from the right was turned goalward by the Bees’ Rosie Lane. Hobbs, though, was on hand to scoop up the loose ball.

Seconds later and Bees could have won it, but Loomes’ flicked effort on the stretch went just wide as both sides settled for a point, temporarily extending Durham’s lead atop the FA WSL 2 table.

Durham sub Lauren Briggs, who had to replace the injured Alderson in goal late on, said: “In the team talk afterwards, they said we should feel disappointed because we have lost two points.

“For me personally today, with me going in goal, it just shows how much we have stitched ourselves up; there was one error then another and then our keeper has got injured as a result and I have had to go in goal.

“We didn’t take our chances, we were flapping on the ball and not keeping possession. The wind – we’ve got to take that into account – we can’t blame it but we have to take it into account.

“As a collective we have to be stronger, we have to be faster and we have got to want it.”