It was another super Sunday for Becky Langley’s high-flying Magpies as Wor Lasses consolidated their lead at the top of the FA WNL North Premier Division. A 3 – 0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers Women was the result of a fine afternoon’s work.
The Lady Mags had run out to a spectacular and emotional Wor Flags display which included a marvellous tribute to ‘The Gaffer,’ Becky Langley with flag depicting her profile and a banner with a Langley quote that is starting to pick up real momentum.
“if You Believe You Can Do It, Then Why Not?” is the Langley mantra that was proudly displayed. Her players certainly backed up that belief with another very solid professional performance that takes them one step closer to the promotion target.
Unlike the Men’s team, the Lasses aren’t restricted by FFP or whatever it’s called these days. They had already landed forward Nicki Gears, Northern Ireland International goalkeeper Lilie Woods and from Portsmouth speed wide forward Beth Lumsden.
But there’s no letting up in Newcastle’s quest for glory and on Wednesday two further signings were announced. Coming in from Crystal Palace were defender Lia Cataldo and Jamaican International striker Paige Bailey-Gayle both aged 22 and hungry for success.
Langley wasted no time in introducing her new charges to the Geordie faithful as both made their debuts alongside Lumsden who was making her full starting debut after featuring as a substitute in the defeat off Nottingham Forest.
With Bridget Galloway out through injury and illness, Bailey-Gayle’s arrival was particularly timely as she had a dramatic impact and entrance to life in the football mad North East of England.
Another bumper crowd of 2,614 were in attendance at Kingston Park – along with ever-enthusiastic co-owner Amanda Staveley – and from the kick-off they were loud and proud as they backed their favourites to the hilt becoming that ‘12th player.’
That said it was Wolves who very nearly struck first as early as the fourth minute. Anna Morphet’s in-swinging left corner flicking off Emma Kelly’s head and dropping to Amber Hughes inside the six-yard box.
The Wolves attacker hooking it over her head only to see the ball come back off the bar and being scrambled clear by the Newcastle defence who instantly responded and almost took the lead.
The ball finding skipper Amber-Keegan Stobbs on the left and she whipped in a superb dangerous ball that Lumsden threw herself at inside the six-yard box but here header went inches wide.
On 18 minutes a loose ball in the centre circle of United’s half was collected by Stobbs who played a brilliant ball with the outside of her right boot to send Bailey-Gayle speeding away from the defence.
Spotting Bec Thomas off her line the Jamaican International tried a lobbed effort that just sailed over the cross bar with the keeper stranded. Chances were at a premium as Newcastle pressed and Wolves defended well and were very organised.
Just after the half-hour mark the visitor’s threatened again. This time a long Morphet free kick saw Grace Donnelly come off her line to claim but under pressure from Destiney Toussaint she spilled the ball but was grateful to see Charlotte Potts clear the danger.
United finally broke the Wolves rearguard down with a brilliantly conceived and finished goal on 40 minutes marking a memorable debut for United’s new striker Bailey-Gayle. Potts’ brilliant diagonal ball to the right wing being well collected and controlled by Lumsden.
The winger twisted and turned leaving Beth Roberts on the ground and then from just inside the left-hand side of the Wolves box Lumsden curled her left cross into the six-yard box.
Bailey-Gayle showed superb awareness and brilliant timing to get between the defenders and keeper Thomas and poked the ball home from 3-yards out into the waiting net.
There was still time for Wolves to almost pull level when Tammi George won a ball well in midfield drove forward and slid a neat pass into the path of Sophie Bramford who in turn found Toussaint on the right.
A cross became a shot as the floated ball caught the wind drifting it over the helpless Donnelly’s head but luckily for United the ball fell kindly striking the base of the far post and being cleared by Liv Watt.
It had been a tight hard-fought first half with United on the balance of play just about deserving their lead although Wolves were far from out of the game and started the stronger in the second 45 minutes.
Another Morphet in-swinging corner dropped inside the United six-yard box and Donnelly did brilliantly to dive bravely at the foot of Toussaint and smother the ball before the Wolves attacker could get a shot away.
Wolves were then almost caught out just before the hour mark when trying to play out from the back a clearance was intercepted by Lumsden who drifted in from the right across the box and from 20-yards curled a left foot effort just wide of the far post.
The visitor’s showed they were still in the game and indeed should have levelled the game on 68 minutes. Morphet’s long ball from the back flicked off the head of Watt and bounced awkwardly for Potts who was beaten to the ball by Hughes.
Hughes rolled a great pass across the Newcastle box for Toussaint to come on to but from 16-yards out with only Donnelly to beat she spurned a terrific opportunity firing over the top when superbly placed.
That miss was compounded five minutes later when United and Bailey-Gayle doubled their tallies for the afternoon and the new striker showed exactly why she’d been brought in to this Newcastle set-up.
Kelly won a ball in the centre circle in determined fashion with ball going out to Lumsden on the right. She cut in from the wing with a mazy dribble before finding Bailey-Gayle inside the visitor’s box.
Newcastle’s #99 turned and saw her first effort blocked by Emma Cross but the rebound fell straight back to Bailey-Gayle who instinctively smashed it first time from14 yards into the bottom right-hand corner of the net to crown a dream debut.
The striker then almost nabbed a hat-trick when she got on the end of a superb Georgia Gibson through ball and advancing into the box chipped the ball over Thomas. It may have been drifting in or it may have fell to the unmarked Stobbs at the back post.
But both were denied by a brilliant covering header from Katie Johnson who just about kept her side in the contest with her superb defending. It was only a temporary reprieve for the Wanderers as the game was sealed in injury time.
We probably should've mentioned that cheeky flick too!
Apologies, @jasminemcquadex 👀 https://t.co/02jCIviJuY pic.twitter.com/XFvvfLxQ1K
— Newcastle United Women (@NUFCWomen) February 5, 2024
Three minutes into the added time substitute Jas McQuade produced a moment of absolute magic to seal The Lady Mags win and give them another three points towards their Championship drive.
Stobbs drove forward from midfield but was disposed as she tried to break free. The ball fell to Cross who tried to clear it but it was charged down by McQuade who then delightfully flicked the ball around Morphet meeting the ball on the other side before crashing a superb 22-yard half-volley that Thomas had no chance of saving.
The whistle went very shortly afterwards giving Newcastle a great result that their all-round performance deserved. Cataldo slotted in well at the back alongside Potts and Watts all of whom were brilliant and were richly rewarded with a clean sheet.
Kelly, Stobbs and Hannah Greenwood were tireless and creative in the middle of the park covering every plastic piece of turf as they drove their side forward. Katie Barker and Lumsden real livewires on the wing with the latter grabbing two assists.
Then there was Bailey-Gayle who netted twice on a dream debut that she’ll never forget and her excellent efforts were added to by the swagger of substitute McQuade with a sublime late effort to seal the deal,
United are now four points ahead of Nottingham Forest who have played the same number of games and eight points ahead of Burnley who have played two games fewer.
Thirteen down and nine to go and a huge one next weekend as Wor Lasses travel to Lancashire on Sunday to take on that Burnley side in a game that their hosts simply have to win.
A win for United and although they’ll take nothing for granted they’ll certainly be in the box seat driving towards what has always been their ultimate goal this season, promotion and a place in the FA Women’s Championship.
Images via Colin Lock and Newcastle Fans TV
