The spoils were shared at The Valley as a late equaliser from the visitors saw Sunderland claim a 1-1 draw in Barclays Women’s Championship action.

A late goal from Tegan McGowan put the Addicks ahead in the 89th minute before a Katy Watson equaliser drew the away side level with minutes remaining on the clock.

It wasn’t until the 33rd minute of the tie that either side were able to properly test the opposing keeper, with Freda Ayisi producing the Addicks’ first threat on goal. The winger did well out on the right-hand side of the box, taking it past two Sunderland defenders before she let fly at goal, saved by Claudia Moan for the visitors.

Shortly after, Sunderland came close to taking the lead through Mary McAteer. Former-Addick Elizabeta Ejupi sent a through ball across the pitch, in behind the Charlton defence for McAteer to latch onto. The forward surged in on goal but Sian Rogers was there to close down the attacker and deny her from opening the scoring, superb from the Addicks shot-stopper.

In the final moments of the first-half, Charlton received another opportunity to take the lead, this time through Angela Addison. Carla Humphrey swung a near perfect cross into the box from a free-kick out on the right, the ball was cleared by a Sunderland defender as far as Addison who let fly from distance. Her effort was unfortunately blocked before it could trouble the keeper in additional time.

Shortly after the break, a mishap at the back saw Addison honing in a loose ball in behind the Sunderland defence. Westrup’s attempted clearance clipped the Charlton winger from point-blank range and struck the bar in the 50th minute.

Three minutes later, Hills' side were awarded a penalty after Kayleigh Green was hacked down in the box. The forward stepped up from twelve yards and her fired effort was saved bt Moan. 

With seventeen minutes remaining of the encounter, the visitors were awarded a free-kick 25 yards from goal. Substitute Jenna Dear stood over the free-kick and swung an effort toward the top corner, superbly saved by Rogers who tipped it over the bar.

Karin Muya entered the fray, replacing Addison with 11 minutes remaining. The winger was inches away from breaking the deadlock as Freya Godfrey squared the ball across the face of the goal, however Muya was unable to tuck it in from close range and scuffed her shot wide.

F. Godfrey was involved yet again and showed great determination to win the ball in the middle of the park and slot Tegan McGowan through on goal. The 19-year-old latched onto the ball and blitzed goalwards, firing a left-footed effort into the back of the net in the 89th minute to put the Addicks ahead.

But, Charlton’s celebrations were cut short in the dying embers of the game. A lapse in communication at the back saw Kiera Skeels’ backpass trickle past Rogers for Katy Watson to tap into an empty net and level the scoring.

Charlton: Rogers, McKenna, Roe, Skeels ©, O’Rourke (N’Dow 79), Ross, Bashford, Humphrey (Godfrey 69), Ayisi (McGowan 87), Green (Johnson 69), Addison (Muya 79)

Subs: Gray

Goals: McGowan 90

Sunderland: Moan, McCatty (Corbyn 92), Scarr (Watson 70), McAteer, Kitching (Dear 57), Brown, Fenton, Ede (Griffiths 70), Rouse (McInnes 92), Westrup ©, Ejupi 

Subs: Borthwick, Jones, West

Goals: Watson 94

Attendance: 1,001