MANAGER Bill Long was delighted with the Charlton women’s team’s last-gasp 2-1 win over Premier League Sunderland at Sporting Club Thamesmead on Sunday.

Gemma Shepherd bagged a brace of goals, including a 90th minute penalty, to help the Addicks inflict Sunderland’s first league defeat since October 2011.

Shepherd opened the scoring shortly before half-time with a towering volley which flew over Mackems keeper Rachel Laws, despite the visitors dominating the first period.

League top scorer Beth Mead equalised midway through the second half and then rattled the crossbar before Addicks skipper Kim Dixson was brought down in the area and Shepherd kept a calm head to convert.

After a disappointing loss to Coventry City in the previous game, Long was pleased with his side’s performance as they moved about Cardiff City into sixth place.

He said: “I think today was a very hard battle.

“Sunderland are a fantastic side, probably the best we have played all year and to battle and nick a 2-1 win was fantastic for us.

“I didn’t see this one coming.

“Obviously you want to win every game, but if you had asked me at the beginning of the week I would probably have been happy with a draw.

“I’m ecstatic that we’ve won the three points and it just shows there’s a lot of character around the club.”

This Sunday the Charlton women’s team travel to Underhill to face bottom-of-the-table Barnet (2pm), who are yet to win a game this season.

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