A moment to savour at SJP as two stunners send Toon through – Howay the NUFC lasses

The Lasses are through! Newcastle United Women defeated Barnsley Ladies 2 – 1 at St. James Park on Sunday 27th November to move into the third round of the FA Women’s Vitality Cup. A round they reached last season.

As for the supporters? They came, they saw, they fretted and they celebrated. 28,565 of them. Yes, read that last sentence again, 28,565 of them. If that doesn’t show the direction this football club is going in then nothing will.

The highest ever attendance outside of a final in the Women’s FA Cup 51-year history. Quite incredible really. To put it into context Liverpool Feds a league above Newcastle Ladies played a derby against Merseyrail in front of 161. Durham Cestria went to Huddersfield and lost 3 – 0 to the higher ranked Yorkshire outfit in front of 78 fans.

Every single person inside the ground and I include the massed media and Barnsley fans were treated to a rip-roaring no-holds barred Cup-Tie in which no quarter was asked and none were given. Barnsley playing their full part in a great game.

They even had the audacity to take the lead after 15 minutes in virtually their first attack. The Lady Mags had started brightly getting the ball behind the Barnsley high-line and out wide. Daisy Burt and Georgia Gibson both fizzing crosses into the danger zone from either flank without any one being able to get a decisive touch.

Then Barnsley struck. A long free-kick from Eve Marshall was only partly cleared and fell to Emily Pierrepont just outside the box. She took a touch transferred the ball to her right foot and rifled a superb drive into the top corner of the net giving United skipper Grace Donnelly no chance.

Katie Barker leading the home side line almost got an instant equaliser getting on the end of long ball from the kick-off but she was always stretching and although she guided the ball goal wards, it didn’t have enough power to trouble Serena Clarke who saved easily.

Barker went even closer a few minutes later. Kacie Elson did superbly on the left wing to create some space and then find Barker in the box. The striker turned well and a sweet low shot that Clarke did really well to get down too and turn aside for a corner.

Gibson took it and hung the ball just under the cross bar where Jodie Snelson did well to head away for another corner. Lauren Robson took that one and found Charlotte Potts in the box but the cultured centre half couldn’t get the right direction on her header.

Newcastle had responded brilliant to the goal and earned another corner when Clarke tipped the ball to safety after just beating Elson to a loose ball. Gibson took, the ball was cleared to the edge of the box and Robson’s well-struck first time effort was blocked.

Burt then marauding down the right fired in another cross that Gibson met in the middle on the half-volley ten yards out but she couldn’t keep her shot down as it flew over the bar.

United were winning so many corners and Gibson’s deliveries were testing the away side’s defence as they battled to hold onto their lead. This one was half palmed away by Clarke and fell to the feet of Burt who from close range stabbed it towards goal. Becy Gompertz being in the right place to clear the ball away.

The Lady Mags kept pressing and dominating possession but the Barnsley defence superbly organised by Marshall and Snelson were holding firm and when United did get in behind Clarke was always there to sweep away the danger.

Barnsley hadn’t really troubled United’s defence but Nat Shaw got away to win a corner off Keira Skelton. Pierrepont delivered, Potts headed clear and Rebecca Fevers hit a 25-yard shot that was always rising as it cleared Donnelly’s cross bar.

The half ended with Newcastle on the attack. Robson was the beneficiary of a mistake by Taviah Myles and looked to be 1-on-1 with Clarke but she took one heavy touch too may and Clarke came out to smother.

Clarke was certainly on form and seconds later came superbly to claim Potts’ long ball into the box in front of Barker who had lost her marker and seemed to be free until the keeper’s intervention.

If the huge and expectant crowd expected a fast start from United in the second half they were too be disappointed. Barnsley had the first opportunity of the second period when Beth Guy fouled Courteney Csomor 25 yards from goal.

Nat Watson smashed the kick at Donnelly who did really well to tip the ball over the bar. The corner being easily cleared by Newcastle who sprang back to the other end with Barker flicking a ball into the box for Ellie Dobson who was too high with her effort.

The excellent Snelson was forced to hobble off after 64 minutes when United also made two changes. Millie Bell and Sharna Wilkinson coming on for Dobson and Elson. Did the substitutions make a difference? Hard to tell but four minutes later United were level.

A goal out of the blue from the mercurial Gibson. The Lasses’ top scorer cut in from the left and spotting Clarke slight off her line unleashed a superb effort from fully 25 yards out that flew past the stranded Barnsley keeper and meant it was game on.

Gibson almost made it two straight after. Put through on goal by Barker she managed to lift her shot over the advancing Clarke but unfortunately just got too much on it and it went over. Robson then tried again for the home side from distance but pulled her shot wide.

It mattered not as United went in front on 72 minutes and what a goal it was. If Gibson’s effort to level things had been spectacular it had nothing on Wilkinson’s effort. Barker won the ball well in midfield and gave it to the substitute fully 30 yards from goal and on the left angle.

Wilkinson hit a magnificent effort that flew over Clarke’s head and crashed into the net off the far post to send the record crowd wild and give Newcastle a deserved lead. It was pandemonium in the stadium which was rocking with noise.

Would The Lasses sit back and hold their lead. Not a bit of it. They went after more. Barker’s brilliant turn enabled her to find Gibson who hit a neat shot that Clarke had to be alert too and turned away well.

When Barnsley did try to go forward they found Freya Bailes in combative mood and alongside her the silky composed Potts in imperious form. When they were breached Skipper Donnelly was there to tidy up with a couple of great claims to cross balls.

Barnsley had responded well although Robson did go close at the other end with a lovely chip that floated just wide of the post. United did substitute Gibson off to bring on Gillian Oyos and then went down to ten-players when Bailes limped off in injury time.

But the Lasses held on and their courage, commitment and togetherness saw them over the line. The celebrations at the end sparking a magically memorable moment for NUFC Women as they marched into the third round of the historic FA Cup in superb style.