Fran Bentley experienced a bittersweet afternoon for Bristol City as the Robins No1 saved a penalty to secure her side a point at Durham but was left frustrated as they missed the chance to move top of the Championship.
Rio Hardy’s fourth goal in two league games cancelled out Shania Hayles’ opener to ensure the points were shared in bitterly cold conditions at Maiden Castle. But the hosts spurned a late chance to win it when Jess Clark was denied by Bentley from the penalty spot.
City lie one point behind leaders London City Lionesses with a game in hand.
“I'm happy personally with the penalty save but I think there’s a lot that we need to take from this game,” Bentley said. “We knew it was going to be a hard place to come to, but we can take more into the second half of the season.
"We need to not dwell too much on these results and just look forward to the next half of the season and fix what we've done wrong. We all knew what it was going to be like here - it's never nice weather for us! But no excuses with it as well, I think we could have been a lot better than we were.
"A strength of ours is we've got the players up top and we always will get goals from them but I think it's just taking more chances that we haven't converted into more goals.”
Both sides looked to attack from the off – Clarke had two early openings for the hosts, while the Robins tested Naoisha McAloon with a number of crosses into the area.
The visitors went in front when Hayles pounced on a slack Ellie Christon header on 22 minutes and rounded the keeper to score.
Ten minutes later, Hardy levelled matters with a similar finish following an excellent through ball from the lively Clarke. Bentley was kept busy in the visiting goal, denying both Beth Hepple and Lily Crosthwaite either side of the break.
Hardy was next to be denied for the hosts – an audacious 30-yard lob just after the hour had Bentley scrambling back to tip it away.
The Robins were looking to bounce back from two successive defeats in league and league cup, but were outmatched by their north-east opponents who always looked the more likely to take the victory.
Hardy was denied again by Bentley at the near post, before Clarke won a penalty after being taken down in the area with nine minutes remaining. But Bentley stepped up again for her side with a superb save down to her left to deny Hepple, and ensured they returned to Bristol with a point.
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