Some performances don’t just contribute to a result. Instead, they shape it. They tilt the pitch, unsettle opponents and give a team the spark it needs to turn a difficult night into a triumphant one — and Katy Watson delivered exactly that sort of performance in Sunderland’s 3–2 win away to Durham.
It was a display that grew in influence as the match unfolded. She looked dangerous throughout but in the second half, she reached a level that defined the entire direction of the contest. The whole team
stepped up after the interval, yet Watson’s impact on the right flank stood out as one of the clearest catalysts for Sunderland’s comeback.
The match began with Durham in control, with Sunderland struggling to settle and finding themselves pinned back for long spells.
The hosts pressed aggressively, moved the ball quickly and created the better chances. Their early strike against the crossbar was a warning that Sunderland were living dangerously and when Durham eventually took the lead, it felt like the natural outcome of the pattern of play — Sunderland were second best in most areas of the pitch and needed something to shift the momentum.
Yet even during in that difficult first half, Watson offered glimpses of threat as one of the few Sunderland players who looked capable of unsettling Durham’s defensive line.
Her pace forced defenders to drop deeper than they wanted to and her willingness to take players on created small pockets of space that Sunderland could not quite exploit at that stage. She showed strength in duels, fending off challenges and refusing to be bullied out of possession, yet the team as a whole couldn’t find enough cohesion to build sustained attacks, which meant Watson’s moments of promise were isolated rather than decisive.
However, everything changed after the interval, and Sunderland emerged with a completely different energy.
The tempo increased, the press tightened, the passing became far more assured — and Watson was central to this transformation. She played with an edge that Durham struggled to contain, her confidence grew with every touch and she began to dictate the rhythm of Sunderland’s attacks down the right wing.
Watson’s connection with Caragh Hamilton on the flank beside her proved to be a turning point.
The two linked up with an understanding that looked far more established than a first outing together would suggest, with Hamilton drifting into clever pockets of space, combining neatly with Watson and providing the quick give-and-go movements that allowed Watson to attack with real purpose.
Their partnership stretched Durham’s defensive shape, forcing the home side to retreat deeper and deeper, and Watson’s pace became a constant threat.
She drove at defenders relentlessly, pushing them backwards and creating panic whenever she accelerated into space. Her dribbling was outstanding as she glided past challenges, shifted the ball with subtle touches and showed the sort of close control that makes defenders hesitate. One moment in particular captured her confidence as she nutmegged a Durham player with a smooth, instinctive touch that drew gasps from the crowd and lifted the Sunderland supporters. It was the sort of moment that signals a player who’s not only performing well but enjoying herself.
Watson’s strength was equally impressive.
Durham are a physical side and they attempted to impose themselves, but she refused to be moved. She held off challenges, protected the ball with intelligence and used her body to create space for crosses and cut backs. This combination of pace, power and technical ability made her almost impossible to contain once Sunderland began to dominate possession.
Her vision was another standout feature of her performance, as Watson didn’t simply run at defenders for the sake of it.
Instead, she picked her moments carefully, lifted her head early and looked for the right pass. Her crossing was consistently dangerous, delivering balls with pace, accuracy and variety. Some were whipped low across the box whilst others were lofted into inviting areas, but Durham’s defenders struggled to read her intentions because she mixed her deliveries so effectively.
The equalising goal was the perfect example of Watson’s influence.
The move began with Sunderland pressing high and winning the ball in a promising area. Watson received possession on the right and immediately drove forward before beating her marker with a burst of acceleration, creating half a yard of space and delivering a perfectly-weighted cross into the box.
As she did so, Katie Kitching arrived with impeccable timing and finished calmly. It was a goal that captured the essence of Watson’s second half display: direct, confident, technically sharp and decisive.
The assist wasn’t simply a moment of quality — it was the moment that changed the entire complexion of the match.
Sunderland had been building momentum but the equaliser gave them belief. It lifted the team, energised the supporters and forced Durham onto the back foot. Watson’s role in that shift can’t be overstated. She’d been threatening to break the game open and when the chance arrived, she delivered.
After the equaliser, Watson continued to torment Durham’s defence.
She pressed relentlessly, closing down defenders, forcing hurried clearances and preventing Durham from building any rhythm. Her work rate was exceptional, chasing lost causes, tracking back when needed and setting the tone for Sunderland’s intensity. Her pressing wasn’t simply energetic. It was intelligent, as she cut off passing lanes, forced play into congested areas and helped Sunderland regain possession in advanced positions.
Her influence also created space for others.
With Durham so focused on containing her, gaps opened up elsewhere. Hamilton found more room to operate; Kitching drifted into dangerous positions and the midfield pushed higher. Sunderland’s second half dominance was built on collective improvement but Watson’s threat on the right was the foundation that allowed the team to play with such freedom.
Even when she didn’t have the ball, her movement caused problems — either by making diagonal runs that dragged defenders out of position, holding her width when required in order to stretch the pitch or cutting inside at the right moments to combine with Hamilton or drive towards goal. Her decision-making was mature and her understanding of the game was evident in the way she adapted to the flow of the match.
As Sunderland pushed for a second goal, Watson remained at the heart of their attacking play.
She continued to deliver dangerous crosses, forcing Durham to defend deeper and deeper, and her presence created the platform for Mared Griffiths to score her sensational debut goal.
With Durham pinned back and struggling to clear their lines, Sunderland recycled possession and Griffiths produced a stunning strike from outside the box. Watson wasn’t directly involved in the goal, but her earlier work had contributed to the pressure that led to it.
The third goal, scored by Marissa Sheva, arrived during another spell of sustained Sunderland dominance.
Watson continued to stretch the defence and force Durham into uncomfortable positions.
Her pressing and movement helped maintain the intensity that allowed Sunderland to control the match and even as the game entered its final stages, she showed no signs of fatigue, continuing to chase, harry and drive forward whenever the opportunity arose.
What made her performance so impressive was the completeness of it.
She didn’t simply provide attacking flair — she influenced every phase of the game by defending from the front, tracking back when needed, linking play intelligently and creating chances with consistency. She played with confidence, aggression and a sense of purpose that lifted the entire team.
Her second half display in particular was one of her most mature and impactful performances in a Sunderland shirt, displaying a level of authority that belied her age. She embraced the responsibility of being the team’s main outlet on the right and delivered a performance that combined technical excellence with tactical intelligence and physical strength.
During a derby, where emotion and intensity often overshadow quality, Watson managed to bring both.
She matched Durham’s physicality, outpaced their defenders, outmanoeuvred their challenges and outthought their attempts to contain her. She played with an edge that suited the occasion perfectly — fearless in possession, relentless without it and decisive when it mattered most.
Her assist for Kitching’s equaliser will rightly be remembered as one of the key moments of the match. It was the spark that ignited Sunderland’s comeback, but her overall performance deserves equal recognition. She was a constant threat, a driving force and a player who embodied the spirit of the team’s second-half resurgence.
As Sunderland head into the international break, it’s fair to say that Watson’s display was one of the most encouraging aspects of the night. It showed her growth, her confidence and her ability to influence matches at crucial moments. It also highlighted the potential of her partnership with Hamilton, which looked promising from the very first exchanges.
This was a performance that’ll stay with supporters. It was full of energy, skill, intelligence and heart. It was the sort of performance that defines a derby — and the sort of performance that helps to win one.
