Leeds United Women were held to a 2-2 draw with Norton & Stockton Ancients this afternoon, despite an early goal from Alice Hughes and a second by Abbie Graham.

Leeds got off to the perfect start when Hughes headed in Ellie White’s inviting free-kick delivery to the back post, before Graham responded to the hosts’ leveller by stealing the ball and tapping into an empty net.

“Disappointed and frustrated are the biggest ones,” Hughes said after the match, on the way the game unfolded. “I think we managed the game well through certain periods but it was the small things at the end that cost us.

“We’ve got to use this to pull together and push on to next weekend, back in the league, so it’s got to be three points next Sunday.

“It feels good for the momentum,” she then added, on her early goal. “We sort of calmed into the game and settled down into it, but we’ve got to keep moving with that momentum which was something we didn’t quite do which is such a shame, but we’ll get there.

“We don’t want to be conceding and we want to keep up that pressure the whole game."

On next week’s league fixture against Wythenshawe: “We’ll get back in on Tuesday, get our heads together and pick apart what’s happened today.

“Back to league action and three points is the only option on Sunday.”