RAMPANT Durham condemned Coventry United Ladies to a 4-0 defeat in a one-sided clash in the FA Women’s Continental League Cup.
The defeat was Coventry’s second in succession in Group A, leaving them second from bottom after a double from Beth Hepple and goals from Kathryn Hill and Holly Manders.
It was the Red and Greens who were first to threaten after Sian Johnson slipped inside from the right wing and then tested the handling of Durham shot stopper Megan Borthwick.
But with the hosts growing in confidence and having the lion’s share of chances thereafter, it was no surprise when Hepple intercepted a loose pass and dispatched a shot into the net via the post.
Hepple had a second of the afternoon just after the half-hour mark when yet again another sloppy pass gifted Durham possession, helping Lisa Robertson go through on goal and square for the midfielder to score.
Coventry had a mountain to climb when Hill flicked home a header from a corner kick to end the first-half scoring, although they emerged with renewed purpose after their break, to their credit.
Substitute Shannon O’Brien pressured Borthwick into surrendering possession to Amber Hughes – whose subsequent strike was cleared off the line by Hill.
Rosie Axten thought she had scored when getting on the end of a corner kick, only to see Borthwick hold the ball from close-range with a remarkable save.
Durham rubbed more salt in United’s wound when Manders fired home to round off a superior performance from the hosts.
Coventry United will make use of the international break to prepare for a double header at Butts Park Arena with Aston Villa, first in a FA Women’s Championship meeting on Saturday November 17, before doing battle in the fourth fixture in the League Cup on Wednesday November 20.