SOUTHAMPTON FC Women were forced to settle for a point after Mollie Lambert hit a late Durham equaliser at St Mary's on Sunday.

The 26 year old drew the visitors level five minutes from time before Saints were forced to clear off the line in additional time.

Aimee Palmer had given Saints the lead with an impressive lofted finish in the first half for her second home goal of the season.

There was just one change to the side that beat Charlton 1-0 last Sunday - Rachel Rowe returned to the starting line-up in place of the sidelined Rianna Dean.

It only took Saints 19 minutes to open the scoring against the division's third-place side. Palmer's opener followed a period of Saints control.

The two-time Championship winner dinked the ball over Tatiana Saunders from just inside the Durham box after a nice passage of play.

Saints kept their lead heading into halftime, Durham going closest when Sarah Wilson nodded wide from a corner.

Durham were much improved after the break, Lily Crosthwaite beat Jemma Purfield and fired a low cross into Fran Stenson’s arms to set the tone.

Freya Gregory hit the side netting to fire a response for Saints before Rachel Rowe somehow did not score on 66 minutes as the ball pinballed around the box.

In the same passage, both Kendall and Megan Collett were denied by a combination of saves and blocks as they met two loose balls before the visitors eventually cleared the danger.

Durham reaped their rewards on 85 minutes when Carly Johns flicked into the path of Lambert, who steadied herself and slotted the ball past Stenson to level the scores. 

Lucia Kendall was at the centre of a chance at both ends in the dying moments. Having cleared off the line, she raced forward to meet Molly Pike's cross and send the ball just wide.

Saints: Stenson, Brown, Bourne, Purfield, Collett (Mott, 77'), Peplow (Thompson, 81'), Palmer (Griffiths, 81'), Kendall, Rowe, Gregory, Pike. 

Unused subs: Rendell, Haaland, Peake, Nohasiarisoa, Watson.

Goals: Palmer.

Yellow Cards: Peplow.

Durham: Saunders, Ayre, Briggs, S. Wilson, Hepple, Lambert, Johns, Blake (Ryan-Doyle, 77'), Crosthwaite, Salicki, Foster (Novak, 68').

Unused subs: King, Bramley, Bradley, E. Wilson, Holmes.

Goals: Lambert.

Yellow cards: Ayre.

Referee: Phoebe Cross.

Attendance: 1463.