BETH HEPPLE’S hat-trick helped Durham coast to a 4-1 win away to Crystal Palace to keep the pressure on at the top of the FA Women’s Championship.

The Wildcats finished off their 2019 in style with Hepple’s strikes, as well as a goal from Becky Salicki.

The hosts scored a second-half goal through Amber Stobbs, but Hepple rounded off her hat-trick with five minutes to go with a penalty.

Hepple said: “It’s always nice to get a hat-trick. When it comes about, it’s a rare occasion for me. My favourite goal was the free-kick. Happy days. But the main thing today was getting three points for the team.

“We had chances and we took them. I don’t think we played particularly well today, I don’t think we’ll be really happy with the performance, but at the end of the day, it’s three points in the bag. It’s a difficult place to come, Crystal Palace are always going to make life hard for us. So to win 4-1 away from home after a tough week, it’s hard to complain.

“The break will probably be a good thing. It’s been a busy schedule for the past month or two, so everyone has the chance to go home, see their families, relax. We’ll keep working hard. It gives us a chance to work on different things. You never really want a four week gap but hopefully we’ll make the best of it.”

Durham opened the scoring in the 11th minute. After Nicki Gears was brought down, Hepple took a beautiful free-kick from 25 yards out which deceived American goalkeeper Lucy Gillett in the Palace goal.

The Wildcats kept up their pressure and Hepple doubled their lead in the 24th minute, taking advantage of a poor clearance to score with a low shot from the edge of the box.

Durham had the best of the first-half chances as well, with Hepple hitting the top of the bar while hunting for her hat-trick. Molly Sharpe put the ball in the net to extend the visitors’ lead on 39 minutes, but it was ruled out for offside.

Three minutes later, it was 3-0 when defender Salicki bundled home Hepple’s corner.

After the break, Palace kept their heads high and tried to get back into it. This paid off in the 75th minute when Stobbs broke through the defence and to put a low shot past Durham keeper Megan Borthwick for a consolation.

In the 85th minute, goalkeeper Gillett brought down Iris Achterhof in the box. With the penalty awarded, Hepple scored to secure her third and help the visitors secure their eighth Championship win of the season.

Amber Stobbs of Crystal Palace admitted: “It was a slow start for us. To be honest, it was not a good enough warm-up. I think we started on the back foot, reacted a little too late. Knowing Durham have travelled a long way and we’re at home, we should have started better. Good reaction at half time, the second half was a different game for us. Sometimes if you don’t start a game right, you’re constantly playing catch-up.

“When you start a warm-up like that, you have to fix it. You have to change your mentality for kick-off. Mentally, we need to start on a better note.

“This is my first game here. I’ve been here for a few weeks and I think I’ve settled in well. It’s a great group. We’re all on the same page. The club is at a turning point. I was looking to start in January, but I’d rather have a game and then four weeks off. I feel at home.”

Crystal Palace (4-3-3): Lucy Gillett; Annabel Johnson, Lizzie Waldie, Amy Goddard, Hannah MacKenzie; Ashleigh Goddard, Andria Georgiou, Leeta Rutherford; Cherelle Khassal (Ella Rutherford 64), Bianca Baptiste, Amber Stobbs

Subs (not used): Nicole Pepper, Magda Mosengo, Emma Gibbon, Rea Laudat, Aoife Hurley, Beau Parker

Durham (5-3-2): Megan Borthwick; Sarah Robson, Becky Salicki, Ellie Christon, Hannah Greenwood (Julia Weithofer 87), Abby Holmes; Lisa Robertson, Beth Hepple, Molly Sharpe (Megan Bell 80); Nicki Gears, Iris Achterhof (Holly Manders 88).

Attendance: 113

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