Durham Women 1 Newcastle United Women 1 | OneFootball

United created numerous chances throughout the game but Cat Sheppard was on hand to thwart the Newcastle attack each time, including a brave save to deny Freya Gregory.

Interim manager Claire Ditchburn named an unnamed side from the one which beat Ipswich Town Women last Sunday, and her faith was almost immediately repaid.

It was a frantic start to the game with the first real chance resulting in United's opening goal - and Pike's second in two games.

A smart ball by Shania Hayles released Jordan Nobbs down the right; she saw her initial cross blocked but at the second time of asking picked out Pike, who slotted home from close range.

Just five minutes later, the home side pulled themselves back level. A long throw was only pushed away by Femke Liefting and Lambert slammed home through a crowd of bodies.

Pike had a chance to grab her second of the afternoon when a looping ball in from Charlotte Wardlaw bounced to United's number ten, but her half-volley went straight down the throat of Sheppard.

The half ended in similarly chaotic fashion with five minutes added on and Lambert taking aim from 25 yards, but her strike whistled past Liefting's top corner.

Durham did find the back of the net through ex-Newcastle loanee Poppy Pritchard, but her celebrations were cut short by an assistant referee's flag as the ball had gone out of play before finding its way to Durham's striker.

After some Durham pressure, Nobbs looked to register her first goal in black and white and her long-range bouncing strike beat Sheppard, but unfortunately, also evaded the far post.

Then Hayles pinned back her marker before spinning and latching onto a long ball in the box, but her effort lacked power and was a simple gather for Sheppard.

Second-half substitutes Beth Lumsden and Emily Murphy linked up next with the former picking out the Republic of Ireland international, whose scuffed effort found Gregory unmarked at the back post but she was denied by Sheppard.

In what was a feisty and at times scrappy second half, Nobbs tried to offer a moment of quality as she was teed up on the edge of the box, but her effort whizzed inches over Sheppard's crossbar.

Elysia Boddy's heart was in her mouth with three minutes to go when Lambert robbed her of possession, leaving Durham with a two-on-one. However, some smart defending and a last-ditch block from Aoife Mannion prevented what appeared to be a certain goal.

Newcastle United Women: Femke Liefting, Charlotte Wardlaw, Demi Stokes (c), Jordan Nobbs, Elysia Boddy, Shania Hayles, Molly Pike (Emily Murphy 58), Freya Gregory, Deanna Cooper, Oona Sevenius (Beth Lumsden 58), Aoife Mannion

Subs not used: Anna Tamminen, Claudia Moan, Jemma Purfield, Emma Kelly, Malgorzata Grec, Jasmine McQuade, Lia Cataldo