Barnet Ladies were left heartbroken on Saturday as table topping Sunderland clinched a 1-0 win courtesy of an 80th minute strike from Stephanie Bannon.
Edgar Davids was in attendance as Lydia Bedford took charge of her first match at Underhill hoping to see her side build on a 1-1 draw with Charlton last time out.
It was not to be however as the Black Cats completed the double over a much improved Bees side who lost 7-0 to the league leaders earlier in the season.
Sunderland had the first opportunity of the match with nine minutes played when Bannon almost found Beth Mead in the box before Cherie Rowlands laid claim to the loose ball.
Six minutes later the Bees had their first chance when Dannielle Murphy’s free-kick was comfortably held by Helen Anderson.
Moments later the away side were on the back foot but the Bees rushed back to ensure that Sophie Williams cross came to nothing.
Gemma Rudman conceded a free-kick shortly after which Bannon wasted before Chotelle Lawrence was unable to latch onto Holly Sandow’s defence splitting pass.
With 26 minutes played Bannon once again stood over a free-kick with the goal in her sights and she did much better this time but her fantastic effort crashed off the crossbar.
Seven minutes later Lawrence could and perhaps should have broken the deadlock when Anderson was unable to hold her shot at the first time of asking.
Sandow was next to try her luck but she was caught offside before Sophie Williams shot high and wide for the Black Cats to ensure the half ended with the score 0-0.
The Bees burst out of the blocks at the beginning of the second period and they almost took the lead when Sowden’s shot rattled the crossbar seconds after the restart.
The away side also made an impressive start to the half and moments after almost going behind they were denied by the defensive duo of Charlotte Herson and Rudman.
The Black Cats continued to be wasteful and they should have taken the lead with 50 minutes played as Mead shot high and wide despite being through on goal.
13 minutes later they thought they should have had a penalty for an alleged foul on Ruth Sutcliffe by Leanne Reidy but the referee waved play on.
Bedford made her first change with 26 minutes to play as Sally Wade replaced Herson. Sunderland followed suit three minutes later when Megan Beer replaced Mead.
With 10 minutes remaining the away side won a dubious corner and the Bees were further aggrieved as Sutcliffe found Bannon who looped the ball over Rowlands.
Jordan Atkinson could have sealed the win in added time but she was unable to cope with the pressure imposed by Rudman as the game ended Barnet 0-0 Sunderland.
