Charlton Women staged a late comeback against Durham at The Valley on Sunday to secure a third win on the spin and maintain their 100 per cent start to the season.

After going a goal behind in the first half, the Addicks were made to show plenty of grit and determination to find a way through. Indeed, a turnaround was sparked by a number of game-changing substitutions as Katie Bradley emerged from the bench to, first, put away a penalty with nine minutes remaining, before bagging the winner moments later.

The home side saw plenty of the ball in the early exchanges, with Mary Bashford registering the first shot of the afternoon, forcing visiting stopper Tatiana Saunders into a low save from distance.

But with 17 minutes on the clock, it was Durham who took the lead, somewhat against the run of play.

A ball played into the right-hand side of the box was pounced upon by Lily Crosthwaite, who got in behind and squeezed her shot inside the post from a tight angle.

Charlton looked for an immediate response with Melisa Filis firing narrowly wide from 25 yards, before the away side came close to a second with Sarah Wilson nodding an excellent free-kick delivery wide of the post.

Just before the break, Ellie Brazil showed good tenacity to fight her way into the box and get herself into a good position, only for Saunders to rush out to snuff out the shot, while Kayleigh Barton turned well in the box and fired just over shortly after, leaving the Addicks heading into half-time with a one-goal deficit.

The hosts came out strong following the restart - Filis’ drive was well blocked in the box, before half-time substitute Atlanta Primus, daughter of former Charlton men’s team youth graduate Linvoy Primus, saw a long-ranger sail over on her debut.

In the 68th minute, Karen Hills opted to make a triple switch, including the introduction of Bradley, which proved to be inspired.

In the 79th minute, Jodie Hutton was clattered into by Saunders in the box, leaving both players down injured and the referee pointing to the spot.

Super sub Bradley made no mistake, putting away her spot-kick to restore parity and draw the Addicks deservedly level.

With their tails up, Charlton kept pushing and it was not long before they had turned the game on its head with Bradley grabbing the headlines with the eventual match-winner just four minutes later.

A low ball into the box from the left-hand side was met by Bradley’s first time effort with the ball nestling in the net to ensure the turnaround was complete.

With seven minutes of injury-time added, the Addicks held firm, surviving a very late scare with one of the last kicks of the game when a troublesome corner was very nearly forced over in, but for some goal-line heroics from the red’s back line.

The victory sees Karen Hill’s side sit top of the Women’s Championship table with maximum points after three games, with a trip to Blackburn Rovers next on the agenda.

Charlton Whitehouse, N'Dow (O’Rourke 69), Skeels, Newsham, Roe, Bashford (Bradley 69), Hutton (Ademiluyi 90), Filis, Humphrey (Primus 46), Barton (Muya 69), Brazil.

Subs (not used): Gray, Siber, Pearse.

Booked: Filis 83 (unsporting behaviour), Ademiluyi 90+5

Goals: Bradley (pen) 81, 85

Durham: Saunders, Ayre, Briggs (Ryan-Doyle 90), Wilson, Robson (Bradley 77), Hepple, Lambert, Johns, Blake (Novak 77), Crosthwaite, Salicki.

Subs (not used): King, Bramley, Wilson, Foster, Holmes.

Booked: Robson 6 (foul on Filis), Bradley 83 (unsporting behaviour), Johns 86 (foul on Whitehouse), Ayre 90+4 (foul on Muya)

Goal: Crosthwaite 17

Referee: Aimee Keir

Att: 416