Report: Sunderland 2-1 Bristol Academy

Bristol took the lead in the tenth minute when Rachel Furness’s short pass gifted possession to Angharad James, who scored her team’s first goal of the season from just over 20 yards.

Both Beth Mead, who had earlier hit wide and was tackled eight yards from goal by Lauren Dykes, and Victoria Williams went close to levelling on the cusp of half-time. 

But in the first minute of the second half Brooke Chaplen did draw parity for Sunderland with a shot through a crowded box that Bristol’s keeper Mary Earps couldn’t get a strong enough hand to.

On 71 minutes Furness atoned for her earlier mistake to give the hosts the lead by heading Victoria Greenwell’s free-kick into the net, profiting from poor marking in the Bristol box.

Mead was denied twice by Earps in the final ten minutes before Hayley Ladd applied too much power to her 93rd minute chance for the visitors.