Beth Mead believes an early group win in The FA WSL Continental Tyres Cup could prove vital for Sunderland's charge.
The England Under-23s striker helped her side grab a last-gasp 2-1 derby victory over Durham in their Cup opener on Wednesday night.
Keira Ramshaw had given Sunderland the lead after 76 minutes. When Mead fed the winger on the edge of the box, Ramshaw fired a wonderful right-footed effort into the top corner.
Durham 1-2 Sunderland
The Continental Tyres Cup
Group Stage
New Ferens Park
Wednesday 22 July 2015
But Durham looked to have salvaged a draw when the ball in from a corner fell kindly to skipper Sarah Wilson who poked home.
However, disaster struck for the home side in the 91st minute when confusion from another corner allowed Mead to touch the ball onto Durham keeper Anna Moorhouse who turned into her own net.
And Mead believes the result could be decisive with a place in the knockout stages the objective.
"I was trying to be a nuisance in the box, tried to get in the keepers way, nudged into her, it might have come off me or not,” she said.
“I’ll take any goal, it doesn’t matter how it goes in but I obviously put the keeper off and it went in the back of the net.
"I think it's hard to play these type of games, they are some of the most difficult.
Keira Ramshaw got Sunderland's first
“They want to defend, it's compact, difficult to play against. I think we struggled a bit today, we didn't stay composed.
"But we show why we are in the top league and we ground out a result.
“It's only the top two and the best loser that go through, so it's important to get early wins in the competition.”
The first period was a back and forth encounter that saw the best opportunity fall to the hosts as they struck the bar and Beth Hepple’s rebound from five yards was scrambled off the line.
And, with a strong second half performance to boot, Durham skipper Wilson says she is proud of her side’s efforts, despite the loss.
"It was a fantastic team performance tonight, there was no pressure on us going into the game and no one expected anything from us,” she said.
"That's why the late goal is so disheartening, we played so well, started off really well, had a few first half chances and we managed to hit the bar.
"I'm proud of the girls, it was an end to end game, Sunderland did have a lot of possession, but it's the score that matters at the end of the day, and they nicked it.
Durham Women (4-2-3-1): Anna Moorhouse, Jen Jennings, Jess Havelock (Jess White 84), Julie Nelson, Sarah Wilson (c), Chloe Macek, Beth Hepple, Natalie Gutteridge, Nicki Gears, Courtney Corrie, Jordan Atkinson.
Subs not used: Helen Alderson, Vic Linsley, Lauren Jordinson
Goal: Wilson (84)
Sunderland Ladies (4-2-3-1): Hilde Gunn Olsen, Abby Holmes, Gemma Wilson, Stephanie Bannon (c), Victoria Greenwell, Keira Ramshaw, Emma Kelly (Beth Mead 68), Sarah McFadden, Abbey Joice (Brooke Chaplen 58), Rachel Furness (Kelly McDougall 45), Stephanie Roche.
Subs not used: Victoria Williams, Rachael Laws, Hayley Sharp.
Goals: Ramshaw (76), Moorhouse OG (90+1)
Attendance: 793
Referee: Matthew Diccio
