Durham are set for a Friday night clash against local rivals Sunderland in the Barclays Women’s Super League 2, with kick-off scheduled for 7pm at Eppleton CW. It promises to be a lively encounter, as both sides look to build early momentum in the new campaign.
Sunderland’s strong start
The Black Cats have enjoyed a promising opening to the season, reflecting a busy summer of recruitment. Mel Reay’s side began with a dominant 4-0 win over Sheffield United, before holding promotion favourites Birmingham City to a 1-1 draw last weekend.
One of Sunderland’s marquee signings, Welsh international Rhiannon Roberts, has slotted in seamlessly. Appointed captain, she has already found the net and is proving an inspirational figure on and off the pitch.
Sunderland appears to be developing into serious contenders in WSL2 as new players settle in quickly and retained players start to perform well early.
Durham seeking a response
Durham will be aiming to bounce back from their own early-season challenges and will see this derby as the perfect stage to rediscover rhythm. The last time these two sides met, in March, Sunderland ran out 2-0 winners at the Stadium of Light thanks to goals from Libbi McInnes and Amy Goddard. Durham will be eager to flip the script this time around and avoid a repeat result.
The officials
Sophie Dennington will take charge of the match, supported by assistants Jon Ashworth-Sears and Zeyad Ahmed, with Melissa Burgin as the fourth official. Durham have crossed paths with Dennington before, most recently in a 4-1 FA Cup defeat to Brighton earlier this year.
The kits
Fans can expect Sunderland in their traditional red and white shirts with black shorts, while Durham will line up in their all-blue strip. In goal, Sunderland will wear gold, and Durham’s keeper will be in black.
Tickets
Tickets are available now through Sunderland’s official channels, with Durham supporters asked to purchase from the ‘Away’ allocation.
With both clubs keen to stake their claim in the early weeks of the season, Friday’s fixture has all the ingredients for a competitive and passionate derby under the lights.
