United created numerous chances throughout the game, but Cat Sheppard was on hand to thwart the Newcastle attack each time, including a brave save to deny Freya Gregory.
Interim-manager Claire Ditchburn named an unnamed side from the one which beat Ipswich Town Women last Sunday, and her faith was almost immediately repaid.
It was a frantic start to the game with the first real chance resulting in United’s opening goal and Pike’s second in two games.
A smart ball by Shania Hayles released Jordan Nobbs down the right but saw her initial cross blocked, and then at the second time of asking picked out Pike, who slotted home from close range.
Just five minutes later, the home side pulled themselves back level. A long throw was only pushed away by Femke Liefting, which found Lambert, who slammed home through a crowd of bodies.
Pike had a half chance to grab her second of the afternoon when a looping ball in from Charlotte Wardlaw bounced to United’s number 10, but her half volley went straight down the throat of Sheppard.
The half ended in equally as chaotic fashion with five minutes added on and Lambert taking aim from 25 yards, but her strike whistled past Liefting’s top corner.
Durham did indeed find the back of the net through ex-Newcastle loanee Poppy Pritchard, but as she wheeled away in celebration, the linesman had his flag up as the ball had gone out of play before finding its way to Durham’s striker.
Despite some late Durham pressure, Nobbs tried to get register her first goal in black and white, but her long-range bouncing strike beat Sheppard, but unfortunately, also evaded the far post.
Hayles pinned back her marker before spinning and latching onto a long ball in the box, but her effort lacked power and was a simple gather for Sheppard.
Second half substitutes Beth Lumsden and Emily Murphy linked up with the former picking out the Republic of Ireland international, whose scuffed effort found Gregory unmarked at the back post but was denied by Sheppard.
In what was a feisty and at times scrappy second half, Nobbs tried to offer a moment of quality as she got teed up on the edge of the box, but her effort whizzed inches over Sheppard’s crossbar.
Boddy’s heart was in her mouth with three minutes to go when Lambert robbed her of possession, leaving Durham with a two-on-one. However, some smart defending and a last-ditch block from Aoife Mannion denied what appeared to be a certain goal.
**Newcastle United Women:** Femke Liefting, Charlotte Wardlaw, Demi Stokes (c), Jordan Nobbs, Elysia Boddy, Shania Hayles, Molly Pike (Emily Murphy 58), Freya Gregory, Deanna Cooper, Oona Sevenius (Beth Lumsden 58), Aoife Mannion
**Subs not used:** Anna Tamminen, Claudia Moan, Jemma Purfield, Emma Kelly, Malgorzata Grec, Jasmine McQuade, Lia Cataldo