Sunderland Women claimed their first derby victory over Newcastle United this season, winning 1-0 in the Subway Players Cup at Gateshead International Stadium, and then replicated a cheeky celebration the men's team had produced earlier in the year.
Katie Kitching scored the only goal and Noa Schumacher made a superb penalty save to secure the win. After the match, the players posed for a team picture with their travelling fans, copying the celebration photo the men's team produced at St James' Park last season after their 2-1 win. That itself was in answer to Newcastle's team picture when they had won at the Stadium of Light in the FA Cup a couple of years prior.
First blood to the Black Cats
The two sides met for the first time this season, with Mel Reay's side edging the victory. The clubs will continue to go head to head this campaign as they challenge for the WSL2 title.
It was first blood to the red and whites after Kitching scored the only goal just minutes after the restart. The teams had gone in goalless at half-time in a cagey affair, but Kitching pounced on 49 minutes after a great run down the right by Katy Watson.
Penalty save keeps United out
Newcastle had a great chance to equalise on 66 minutes after Jordan Nobbs was felled by Schumacher in the box, but the goalkeeper redeemed herself by diving full length to her right to keep out Martha Thomas' penalty.
The visitors then held on to become the first side this season to stop United from scoring and end their 100% start to the season. The rivals will now meet again on November 15 in a league fixture at Sunderland's Stadium of Light. Newcastle currently top the table with 15 points from their five games, with Sunderland second on 13 points.
Durham suffer late heartbreak
Elsewhere in the same competition, Durham were stunned by an injury time goal at Burnley to fall to a 3-2 defeat, having battled back from 2-0 down. It was heartache for the players, who have had a tough start to the campaign after their financial troubles over the summer.
They quickly fell 2-0 down, but a rousing comeback saw them get back on level terms. First, captain Sarah Wilson nodded home on 75 minutes after Beth Hepple's effort had come back off the crossbar. Then just six minutes later, Angela Addison hooked home a volley to mark her debut with a goal. The game was in the balance, only for Burnley to snatch it at the death with an injury-time winner.
