TYNEDALE’S leading lady again proved her class as she guided her side into the semi-finals of the Durham FA Women’s Cup.

Red hot striker Christine ‘Crid’ Murray was the difference as Tynedale Ladies dumped their hosts Consett Ladies out of the competition, possessing killer instincts in front of goal, exceptional footwork and strength in abundance to match her bravery.

And it was Murray’s three goals which ultimately sunk their plucky opponents, spearheading the fantastic 5-3 victory.

Tynedale didn’t have it all their own way against a side currently second in the Durham Women’s League two divisions below them, and the home side’s refusal to lie down saw them claw their way back into the tie on two occasions.

In fact, they looked up for the big challenge ahead of them and took the game to their guests to Belle Vue Stadium by creating the better chances of the opening exchanges. A promising move between Stephanie Curry and Nicole McEvoy was thwarted at the last minute by some excellent last ditch defending, and Rachael Howes’ header from the resultant corner nearly sneaked into the bottom corner only for Coral Duff in the Tyne goal to pull off an acrobatic save.

Minutes late, tricky winger McEvoy went on a brilliant run down the left and pulled the ball back across goal for striker Carolanne Hughes, but she got her angles wrong and could only find the side netting from close range.

Tynedale’s first foray forward should have resulted in a penalty kick when Lauren Ray’s ball back into the area was clearly blocked by a Consett hand, but the hosts looked to make the most of the reprieve as they went on the attack immediately.

Striker partners Curry and Hughes linked up well and the former forced an excellent save from Duff, at the expense of a corner.

Little had been seen of Tynedale’s usually terrifying attack of Murray and Megan Watson, but they combined stylishly to break the deadlock 13 minutes in.

Murray’s piercing through ball was as precise as they come and it spilt the Consett defence open, allowing Watson to run on and poke an effort from distance over the head of stranded keeper Rachael Simpson.

The deadly duo were just warming up and Murray had an effort blocked moments before showing phenomenal ball control to worm away from four red shirts and fire a ferocious drive on goal which was kept out by the knees of Simpson.

She wasn’t to be denied for much longer and extended Tyne’s lead on 23 minutes when she ran unchallenged on to a through ball after the Consett defence stopped for an offside call which didn’t come, Murray calmly rounding Simpson and sliding home.

It was all one-way traffic at this point and Watson was denied her second by Simpson, who then repeated the act to stop Murray who again ran clear when receiving the benefit from a tight offside decision.

With the visitors on top, it was a bit of a bolt from the blue when Consett reduced arrears with Hughes finding a way past Duff when the angle seemed against her.

And Consett’s star of the show Hughes had Tyne reeling when she levelled within a minute, coolly picking her spot in the bottom corner when the ball fell to her on the edge of the area.

Yet Tynedale were to end the first half back on top, Murray bravely outjumping her marker to head over her head and beat Simpson at the near post after Watson helped on Ashley Lambert’s header in the middle of the park.

Simpson had her work cut out and was again called upon before the half time whistle, gathering Nicole Gibson’s strike then preventing Murray her hat-trick.

Yet Tynedale’s leading scorer wasn’t to be denied as she made it 4-2 two minutes after the restart, beating Simpson from 12 yards even if the spot kick wasn’t the cleanest connection of the afternoon.

Again finding themselves trailing by two, Consett fired back with McEvoy spurring them forward. The diminutive winger was picked out in the area by Hughes and, although her first touch was on point, she couldn’t get the right connection to trouble Duff.

McEvoy then caused the away defence problems and laid it back to Curry whose well struck effort was kept out by Duff. It just didn’t seem to be going for McEvoy as she hit a shot just wide moments later.

It was her teammate Hughes who took centre stage for the hosts and she ignored screams for the ball to loop an effort on goal from more than 20 yards out, the back-pedalling Duff only helping the ball over the line as she tried in vain to pull off the save.

Consett were buoyant, but their hopes were extinguished as Tynedale saved the best until last.

Marauding full back Jane Riddell had already sent a volley from distance on goal, but she managed to find the net to kill the game off when she collected a clever, lofted return pass from Watson and clinically slammed the ball past Simpson for 5-3.

Consett produced a valiant finish as they looked to take the tie to extra time, Curry denied what looked a certain goal by a courageous block from Laura Hepple.

Twin sister Kate similarly helped her side out with a great intervention to deny McEvoy a deserved goal, while substitute Rebecca Knight was on hand to Beth Wilson’s effort off the line as Tyne defended for their lives.

Meanwhile, Prudhoe Town Women encountered a rampant Blyth Town Lions when the teams met at Kimberly Park in the Northern division of the North East Regional Women’s League.

The hosts never let their heads go down despite the scoreline, shipping in five unanswered goals.