Leeds United Women 5 (R Hunt 11’, Brown 27’, Bartup 32’, 44’, 53’)

Durham Cestria LFC 5 (Atkinson 36’, 55’, 78’, Turnbull 65’, 88’)

Leeds: Wattam, Housley (Smith 73), Hamill (C), Hannon, Smart, K Hunt (Soares-Martins 63), Hunter, R Hunt (Underdown 85), Danby, Brown (Freibach 76) Bartup: Subs not used: Joyce 

Durham: King, Knowles, Elliott, Greenwood, Ayre, Crosthwaite, Burn (Donald 68), Nicholson (Mackie 85) Hargrave (Nelson 79), Matt (Turnbull 64), Atkinson

Leeds United Women missed the chance to go three points clear at the top of the pile, as Durham Cestria LFC staged an impressive fight back to earn a share of the spoils despite another Laura Bartup hat trick.

Leeds, who were looking to move clear of Liverpool Feds at the top of the table, started on the front foot and took the lead after Rebecca Hunt fired in from 10 yards, following great work from Bartup to create the opening. 

Abbie Brown then forced a smart save from Anna King before Erin Nicholson fired wide from 15 yards out, for Durham. 

Rebecca Hunt then came within inches of making it two but couldn’t quite connect with an Abbie Brown centre, before Bartup smashed an effort against the underside of the bar, with Leeds well on top.  

Brown did make it two moments later. After picking up a loose ball from the Durham keeper, she produced a superb lob bak over the visitors number one and saw the ball nestle into an empty net. 

Bartup then made it three just five minutes later, finishing from close range following Olivia Smart’s free kick.

Jordan Atkinson pulled one back for the visitors before captain Cath Hamill had to be alert to clear off the line from the same player. 

Bartup then saw her header cleared off the line, but wasn’t to be denied moments later when she got her 12th of the campaign firing in from 15 yards out, to get her second of the day and the Whites’ fourth.

Half Time: Leeds United Women 4-1 Durham Cestria LFC

Leeds started the second stanza on the attack and Bartup almost grabbed her second hat trick in consecutive games, firing over from inside the penalty area. 

Durham kept on Leeds’ coattails and Atkinson pulled another back tapping in a Crosthwaite cross, reducing the gap to two goals.  

Bartup then did complete her hat-trick with a superb finish, hooking in from 15 yards as Leeds looked to put the game to bed with their fifth of the afternoon. 

Durham kept coming though and were not downhearted, despite the scoreline. Substitute Ellen Turnbull was able to get another back with 25 minutes to go, making it 5-3. 

Atkinson then completed her hat-trick for the visitors with 12 minutes left on the clock to set up a nervous ending at the Global Stadium.  

Throwing everyone forward and constantly pressuring United’s goal, Turnbull ensured a share of the spoils as her cross from the right evaded everyone and dipped in, to level the match at 5-5 and complete the comeback.

Full Time: Leeds United Women 5-5 Durham Cestria

Venue: Global Autocare Stadium

Referee: S. Hall