Sunderland went into the game unchanged against the surprise package of the season, leaders Millwall, at the Hetton Centre on Sunday.
The early pressure came from the home side as Nicola Devine broke down the left and crossed for Natalie Gutteridge whose shot was beaten out. At the other end only a last ditch tackle by Abby Holmes prevented Heatherson getting a shot at goal. Then out of the blue Millwall took the lead on 5 mins. A block by Holmes ricocheted off Charlotte Gurr and sent Meghan McKeag clear on the left. Her cross from an acute angle sailed over everyone and left Rachael Laws stranded in the Sunderland goal as it dropped into the top corner.
A 27th min curling free kick by Staniforth brought a good save from Lacey before a fine sweeping move involving Vicky Greenwell,
Kelly McDougall and Demi Stokes ended with Gutteridge’s strike being turned away by Lacey again. A long ball over the top sent Heatherson
clear and Laws did well to smother the danger. The home side drew level after 35 mins when Gutteridge won the ball and played in McDougall
who fed Stokes on the right. She squared the ball for Nobbs to strike sweetly into the roof of the net from the edge of the box. As
the interval approached there was a tremendous scramble in the Millwall penalty area as Gutteridge, McDougall and Stokes all had shots
beaten away in quick succession.
HT... Sunderland Ladies 1 vs 1 Millwall Lionesses
The second half began with
Sunderland continuing to push forward and Devine’s cross was turned goalward by McDougall but Lacey tipped the ball over the bar.
Then McDougall sent Stokes clear but her strike was pushed behind for a corner. Sunderland introduced last season’s top scorer Sophie
Williams as a substitute in attempt to cash in on their dominance and she was quickly into the action as she went clear on goal only
to be denied by Lacey. Millwall broke and won a corner on the right and as the ball came over it was met by Jones on the volley and
Laws brilliantly turned the ball over the top when it looked as if the visitors would steal the points. Williams broke clear and played
in Nobbs who chipped the keeper but it dropped just over the bar. Just as it seemed as if the spoils were to be shared Sunderland
grabbed a deserved lead in the 86th min. Good link up play with Williams and Nobbs saw the ball break out to Holmes who drove a powerful
shot through a crowd of players from 25 yards and into the bottom corner to spark wild celebrations.
FT... Sunderland Ladies 2 vs 1 Millwall Lionesses
Sunderland Boss Mick Mulhern was delighted after the game...”It was an excellent performance
by the girls. They showed a lot of character in coming from behind against a good Millwall side who are league leaders. We deserved
the win and it was refreshing to get the result after the disappointments of the last two games. It will give them confidence going
into next week’s cup game at home to Liverpool.”
Sunderland...Laws, Holmes, Bannon, Greenwell, Halliday(Wilson), Stokes, Staniforth,
Nobbs, McDougall, Devine(Williams), Gutteridge. Subs not used...Salicki, Unwin,