Sunderland Women 0-1 Charlton Athletic Women
Sunderland Women ended their Barclays Championship home campaign at Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground with a 1-0 defeat to Charlton Athletic Women.
The first 45 ended goalless with little to show between the two teams, but Kayleigh Barton's close-range strike on the hour proved decisive and ended Sunderland’s chance of returning to the Super League this season.
Mel Reay named an unchanged side for the Lasses' final home fixture of the season following last weekend’s away victory against Watford.
In a cagey opening 15 minutes with both sides trying to find a foothold in the match it was Sunderland who came closest through Amy Goddard, but the defender’s looping header was hacked clear by the visitors.
Charlton replied with a chance of their own moments later when Rebecca McKenna advanced down the left, but Claudia Moan was down quickly to gather the danger.
Moan was alert minutes later to deny Melissa Johnson what looked like a certain goal from close range after a mix-up in the Black Cats’ defence gifted the Addicks striker a one-on-one opportunity.
After a nervous first half which ended all square, Sunderland came out the blocks fast at the beginning of the second, but Katie Kitching failed to capitalise from inside the danger area following Mary McAteer’s defence-splitting pass.
Charlton took the lead on 60 minutes, Barton with a simple tap-in from two yards out after Moan had initially saved Johnson’s attempt from the left but the rebound fell kindly to the unmarked attacker to break the deadlock.
Jessica Brown’s floated cross came within inches of finding Jenna Dear’s head in the centre of Charlton’s 18-yard box, but Melisa Filis and Jessica Gray combined well to clear the danger.
The visitors came mighty close to doubling their lead inside added time, but Louise Griffiths and Brianna Westrup read the danger perfectly to clear the ball off Moan’s goalline and keep the tie alive.
Moan was called into action deep into stoppage time to deny Tegan McGowan with her fingertips as the Lasses pushed forward in the dying embers of the match in an attempt to find a late equaliser.
Sunderland travel to Selhurst Park next Sunday to face Crystal Palace in their final Barclays Championship fixture of the season.
SAFC XI: Moan, Griffiths, Goddard, Westrup ©, Brown, Fenton, Dear, Kitching (McInnes 67’), McAteer (Jones 60’), Scarr, Ejupi (Watson 60’)
Subs not used: Borthwick, Ede, Rouse, Beer, McCatty.
Attendance: 1,327 - Thank you for your fantastic support all season.