Sunderland Women secured a crucial win against Coventry United at Eppleton in the Barclays Women’s Championship.
Katy Watson opened the scoring 15 minutes into the game to settle early nerves.
Abbey Joice doubled the lead 54 minutes in, and Brianna Westrup’s 58th minute header ensured an important three points.
The Lasses started strongly, with Westrup and Emily Scarr both having opportunities to score in the opening 10 minutes, but Safia Middleton-Patel saved both efforts.
Abbey Joice drove through the left side of the Coventry half, finding 17-year-old Watson on the right side, who took a touch and smashed a shot past the goalkeeper.
Minutes later, Scarr’s corner was met by a brilliant header by Westrup which struck the post.
Coventry responded with their own effort off the post shortly after, with Jodie Bartle hitting the woodwork with a header, with a similar chance coming just before the half-time whistle as Morgan Cross’ header hit the upright.
After absorbing the pressure in the first half, Mel Reay’s side looked the more dominant in the second period of the game.
Scarr beat her marker in expert fashion before getting a low cross into the centre of the box, with Joice controlling and calmly slotting her shot into the bottom corner.
The Lasses sealed the deal minutes later with Scarr providing the goods once again, this time whipping in a corner for Westrup to head home and make it 3-0.
With 30 minutes to go, the Lasses were going through the gears, hunting for more goals, with both Scarr and Joice having shots go just wide of the post.
Watson almost doubled her tally for the day late on, shooting from close range but forcing a good stop from the visiting goalkeeper.
In stoppage time, Scarr almost got on the scoresheet, controlling a cross and pulling off a superb turn to beat her marker and get a shot away, only to be denied by the ‘keeper.
The victory takes the Lasses up to ninth in the division as they now take the momentum into next week’s Eppleton encounter against Sheffield United Women.
SAFC Women: Moan, Morgan, Herron, Westrup, Holmes (Beer 84’), Kelly ©, D. Brown, Joice (McInnes 80’), J. Brown (Ede 74’), Scarr, Watson.
Substitutes: Cowling, Borthwick, McPartlan, McCatty.