FIVE years ago, March 2012, the Echo carried a story and photograph of the first all-female match officials’ team in the Wearside League.

It was Coxhoe v Redcar. Helen Conley was referee, Rebecca Welch and Lynn Brown – who, ten years earlier, had become the first woman to referee in the Darlington Sunday Invitation League – her assistants.

Lynn forecast that her younger colleagues would go far, though admitting that it was difficult for those just starting. “It can be hard because of the abuse from the sidelines, but that’s the same if you’re male or female.”

A week on Saturday, Rebecca – who’s from Washington – will take charge of the FA Women’s Cup final at Wembley with Helen, who lives near Bishop Auckland, fourth official.

An extraordinary success for officials from the Durham FA area will climax two weeks later when Gary Beswick from Newton Aycliffe is an assistant referee at the FA Cup final.

Last Sunday, her 32nd birthday, the admirable Helen had charge of the FA Women’s Super League game between Durham Women and London Bees, though it wasn’t her whom particularly we’d gone to see.

It was Lynn Brown, again one of her assistants, perhaps never likely to make the big time – “I was 37 when I started” – but still very much waving the flag for women in football. Much more of that next week.