One more game played and one huge further step forward. NUFC Women were perhaps not at their best when beating Derby County Women 2 – 1 at Kingston Park on Sunday afternoon but they were good enough and deserved the win.
It can’t always be champagne and roses. Sometimes it has to be beer and grass (even if the Kingston Park surface is plastic!) and just doing the simple things well and ensuring that the mission is achieved.
In truth after United raced, once again, into a 2 – 0 lead within the first half-hour you probably feared the worst for a Derby side looking at best second-class. However, to be fair to the visitors they worked hard stayed in the game and gave Wor Lasses a tough time.
The Lady Mags went into the game with our skipper Amber-Keegan Stobbs who picked up a late training ground injury and was not risked. Jas McQuade coming into replace her with Club captain Grace Donnelly taking the match day armband.
One of last week’s heroes Kacie Elson was also out of the match day squad through injury alongside Elysia Boddy who continues to recover from her rather longer term injury.
It mattered little though as in the seventh minute United struck with a lovely opening goal. Emma Kelly dropping deep into the back line to pick up the ball. She moved forward, looked up and delivered a brilliant long ball from her own half.
The ball was in behind the Derby defence and Beth Lumsden outpaced Helena Meadows to get on the end of the pass before drilling a low shot from 10 yards past the helpless Anna Draper. Lumsden’s first goal since signing from Portsmouth.
United were comfortable at this stage dominating possession although they were forced into a change when Liv Watt limped off to be replaced by Tyler Dodds. A blow and a change in formation/positions that just slowed Wor Lasses down.
But on 27 minutes they did strike again and indeed were gifted a goal by a poor mistake from keeper Draper. A good attack down the left by United starting with Charlotte Potts long ball, Katie Barker’s bright run and a Kelly overlap was broken up by Camille Jenkins.
Jenkins then turned the ball back to Draper who had plenty of time to clear it but took a bad touch and under pressure from Dodds allowed the ball to squirt away from her. It fell to Paige Bailey-Gayle 8-yards out and she swiftly dispatched it into the unguarded net.
The striker’s fourth goal in only three games since her arrival in January and a testament to her ability to be in the right place at the right time. So, two goals to the good and still over an hour to play.
This was always a game that was going to be a tough ask for Derby County but after the Lasses flying start it looked like a mountain they were going to have to scale if they were to stop the NUFC Women’s juggernaut.
To their credit they defended well after the initial breakthroughs and pretty much restricted and frustrated United’s Lasses for the remainder of the half. United continued to dominate but were unable to carve out any further meaningful opportunities.
That said a 2 – 0 half-time lead at home was still a great outcome for Becky Langley’s side as they trooped off to enjoy the break ready to come out refreshed and look for more.
On 55 minutes it should perhaps have been game over. Barker’s excellent run down the left saw her speed away from the defence into the box. She cut the ball back superbly for Bailey-Gayle who unfortunately shot over from 8-yards with only Draper to beat.
Then from a Kelly corner Potts got up well to head at goal only to see Draper parry her effort. The ball fell loose in the County six-yard box and in the ensuing scramble Georgia Gibson’s close range effort was blocked.
Right on the hour mark United in the form of Lumsden spurned another great chance. This time it was the excellent Hannah Greenwood who played a long diagonal ball from the right that Lumsden met on the volley from 8-yards but she couldn’t keep her shot down.
United continued to press and Potts after great defensive play came out of defence and sent Dodds speeding away on the right with a great probing pass. Dodd’s delivery was good and found Lumsden who’s first-time effort was blocked and then scrambled clear.
Derby though were still in the game and not going away as their committed effort particularly defensively was evident although Bailey-Gayle almost got in with 15 minutes left. Her effort though from the edge of the box going wide.
Derby almost got back into the game just after this chance. A ball falling nicely about 22-yards out to substitute Marli Rhodes-Andrews. She struck her shot sweetly but saw Donnelly in the United goal diving well to her left to palm the ball away in great style.
Again, United pressed. Kelly’s ball up to substitute Bridget Galloway saw United’s top scorer hold the ball up well before finding Gibson. She in turn found Bailey-Gayle free in the box but the striker curled her effort just too much and it flew wide of the target.
Derby grabbed a lifeline on 84 minutes when Barker gave away a free kick wide right for a foul on Derby Captain Amy Sims. Both players going into the book. Barker for the foul and Sims for the rather petulant response.
Rebecca May curled the ball into the United box and it bounced awkwardly for Kelly as she went to clear clearly striking her on the arm. Accidental it may have been but the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Eleanor Ashton stepping up and cooly dispatching a low penalty kick just past the diving Donnelly’s left hand to give Derby hope and United a nervy last six minutes plus injury time.
United perhaps feeling the pressure a little were forced back and looked nervous and were indebted to Captain Donnelly for preserving the lead. It was another May free kick from a similar position that caused the problem.
A little closer in the County left-footer decided to go for goal rather than swing another cross in. Her aim was true as she went for the near post but Donnelly got scross well to turn the on-target effort away from danger.
As time ticked down Galloway perhaps should have done better with a header from the middle of the box but directed her effort straight at Draper who held it easily. It mattered not though as the whistle blew almost immediately afterwards.
How precious those three points were became even more apparent when news came in that second placed Nottingham Forest had been held to a 1 – 1 draw by Liverpool Feds. It now means that Wor Lasses are nine points clear of their closest rivals.
Forest do have a game in hand but even if they win that there’s a lot of ground for them to catch up. Burnley were without a game so now slip 14 points behind the table-topping Geordies albeit with three games in hand.
Newcastle though can now take a deep breath and move forward to the next game which is a huge one. The FA Women’s National League Cup semi-final against Portsmouth of the Southern Premier Division who also lead their division.
If you don’t know by now you will after reading this, that game will be at St. James Park next Sunday afternoon at 2:00pm. A huge occasion and one that everyone who follows NUFC should make every effort to attend and urge Wor Lasses on to a Cup Final.
