After last week’s thrilling goalless draw against FA WNL Northern Premier League leaders Burnley, the NUFC Women got back to winning ways on the road down at Huddersfield with a 4-0 win.
It was an emphatic performance on Sunday and one that shows it’s not always about new signings and additions to the squad. Don’t get me wrong, the quality of players the Club has brought in has been tremendous and thoroughly improved the squad. But the four goals that defeated Huddersfield Women on their own turf all came from players that were at the Club last season and in some cases even longer. Superb to see the Lasses stepping up in more way than one.
United even had the luxury of missing a penalty for the second week running, which could have affected their confidence and progress. Not a bit of it, as once they got going this superb Newcastle team just powered away from their beleaguered opposition.
This was one of those games that on paper, with unbeaten Newcastle arriving at second bottom Huddersfield, looked a formality. Thankfully the paper formality became a grassy reality as The Lady Mags march on.
The penalty came early. In the second minute to be exact as Huddersfield’s Keeper Maguire fouled Bridget Galloway as she attempted to get on to the end of a dangerous cross.
Even worse for Town was the sending off of Olivia Harkness, who had deliberately handled Kacie Elson’s goal bound shot after Galloway was fouled. Unfortunately for United, Galloway for the second week in a row was unable to convert the spot-kick, this time seeing her penalty superbly saved by Maguire. Would the miss hold Wor Lasses back? Initially yes but gradually they settled down and began playing some excellent flowing football.
They finally got their reward on 32 minutes shortly after both Emma Kelly and Georgia Gibson had shots cleared off the line. The goal came from Charlotte Potts. The mercurial defender controlling Tyler Dodds’ corner, dummying a Town defender and then smashing it low into the bottom corner.
Huddersfield’s defending with ten players and a goal down was both brave and heroic and somehow they managed to get to the half-time whistle only trailing by that ‘Pottsy’ effort.
United continued where they’d left off in the first half and doubled their lead on 53 minutes. Gibson floating in a left-foot cross to the back post where Elson got on the end of it to loop a header over Maguire into the back of the net.
Elson almost doubled her tally for the afternoon with another header that was just wide from a Dodds cross before making way for the afternoon on 70 minutes, with Becky Ferguson coming on in the goal scorer’s place.
It only took Ferguson 9 minutes to make her mark. Substitute Jas McQuade and winger Dodds setting up the chance. McQuade winning possession in the final third, playing the ball wide right to Dodds. Her cross found Ferguson at the back post who took a touch before firing high into the net.
United made it four, to match the Men’s efforts 24 hours earlier, in the second minute of injury time and this time it was Katie Barker on the mark. The United striker in the right place at the right time to bundle the ball home from close range when Maguire could only parry Dodds’ high ball into the box.
So, a thoroughly competent and professional performance from our full-time Lasses. They march on in the League but get a break from the pressure of accumulating vital points next weekend.
It’s FA WNL Cup action on Tyneside with Nottingham Forest the visitors to the Gateshead International Stadium for a 14:00pm kick-off on Sunday 29th October. Forest are the current holders of the Cup so it’s going to be another tough game for The Lasses.
