Sunderland have a fight on their hands to wrap up The FA Women’s Super League 2 title after their unbeaten streak came to an end against second-placed Doncaster Rovers Belles.
The Black Cats enjoyed an eight-point lead and home advantage going into the game at the Hetton Centre, knowing a win would make them champions.
They took an early lead through Beth Mead and looked to be on their way to victory in front of strong home support.
Sunderland 1-2 Doncaster Rovers Belles
FA WSL 2
Saturday 4 October
Hetton Centre
However, Jess Sigsworth equalised in the second half before Victoria Williams grabbed the winner with less than ten minutes to go.
The Belles started strongest but Sunderland took the lead on the quarter-hour when Mead’s header from Steph Bannon's free-kick looped over keeper Nicola Hobbs.
The visitors then hit the woodwork twice before levelling just after the hour – Sigsworth getting on the end of a cross from the left and steering the ball past Rachael Laws from close range.
And they kept the title race alive when Williams slotted a fine goal home in the 83rd minute to give her side a crucial win.
Sunderland pushed hard in the final few minutes to get something out of the game, but were unable to prevent their season-long unbeaten run coming to an end.
Black Cats boss Mick Mulhern said: “I feel as if we've been mugged a little if I'm totally honest.
“We controlled large parts of the game, especially in the first half and it looked as though it was going to plan.
“We had to see it out and we tried our best to do that but in the end it came down to a couple of individual errors, a couple of poor judgments and Doncaster have got two second-half goals.
“Ultimately I don't think we were quite brave enough, we weren't able to dominate in the way that we're capable of.
“But I still think we did enough to get a point out of the game and on another night we might have got all three.”
Sunderland: Laws, Holmes, Bannon, Sharp, Greenwell, McDougall, Furness, Williams, Joice, Mead, Ramshaw (Bass 79).
Substitutes not used: Alderson, Wilson, Beer, Gutteridge, Briggs, Kelly.
Doncaster Rovers Belles: Hobbs, Cunningham, Roberts, Little, Williams, England (Thomas 76), Bright, Lipka, Sigsworth (Mills 78), Smith, Sweetman- Kirk
Substitutes not used: Stamp, Cresswell.
Attendance: 1,177
Referee: Rebecca Welsh
