The Lady Mags march majestically on and on. A thumping 4 – 1 away win at Stoke City leaves the red-hot table toppers nine points clear of Nottingham Forest who are second and 14 points ahead of Burnley who are third.
Forest have one game in hand and Burnley three but even if both win all their games in hand they would still be behind Becky Langley’s magnificent front runners in the quest for the league title and promotion to the FA Women’s Championship.
Langley’s side have six more Cup Finals in the League to negotiate as well as an actual Cup Final on March 23rd against Hashtag United at Luton Town’s Kenilworth Road. The excitement for each and every one of those game mounting with every passing day.
United had already beaten Stoke 3 – 1 at home in the League and 5 – 0 at Gateshead International Stadium in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup. They were clearly confident going into the game and it showed in their performance throughout the 90 minutes.
They were without two of the semi-final heroes from last weekend with midfield maestro Emma Kelly and flying winger Tyler Dodds unavailable through illness being joined on the missing list by Kacie Elson.
It meant a return to the side for fit-again Liv Watt and Beth Lumsden who had been cup-tied for the semi-final victory against her old side Portsmouth. There was also the welcome sight on the bench of Elysia Boddy returning to the squad for the first time in 7 weeks.
At the Emerys Stadium, Norton, Stoke it was the home side that had the first opportunity when the ball broke to Heidi Logan inside the United area but she failed to control the ball under pressure from Charlotte Potts and Newcastle keeper Grace Donnelly and the chance was gone.
United after the early scare soon got on top and an incredible three minutes saw them blow Stoke away inside the opening quarter of an hour with three quick fire goals. The first coming on 11 minutes.
Beth Lumsden’s left-footed free kick on the left side picking out skipper Amber-Keegan Stobbs at the far post inside the six-yard area. The skipper’s half volley flashing across the goal line to the opposite post where Katie Barker stole in to tap home from virtually on the line.
Newcastle then struck again in their very next attack. This time Lumsden’s shot was blocked and fell to Jas McQuade. She squared it to Barker who with a lovely turn and neat pass found Georgia Gibson free and she crashed the ball home with her left foot from just outside the six-yard box.
On 14 minutes it was effectively game over. Kayleigh McDonald’s attempt to play out from the back saw Paige Bailey-Gayle block then control the clearance before slipping McQuade through on goal. The midfielder finishing well with a low angled shot across Georgie Ferguson from 8-yards out.
Stoke were stunned and the vast traveling army of loyal Newcastle fans were in raptures as their favourites had virtually signed, sealed and delivered another three points in the title race with still 75 minutes left to play.
It was almost four before 20 minutes as well. McQuade playing Gibson through on goal who dinked her effort past Ferguson only to see it go inches wide. Bailey-Gayle then brought a fine flying parried save out of Ferguson with a crisp 18-yard shot.
It was all Newcastle. McQuade going close again with a 20-yard effort that flew just wide. Then a great ball from Hannah Greenwood found Lumsden in space. Her right wing cross found Barker stealing in at the back post but her close range stabbed effort came back of the post.
There was no doubting that Stoke were glad to hear the referee’s whistle calling the first 45 minutes to a halt but on the resumption Wor Lasses were at it again. Barker finding the driving Stobbs who curled a fine 22-yard effort past Ferguson only to see it go the wrong side of the post.
Finally the home side responded and a neat through ball from Shannon Stamps saw Roisin Kivel through 1-on-1 against Donnelly but United’s skipper did Grace Donnelly things block the effort with a brave dive at the Stoke skipper’s feet.
Barker was causing problems for City from the left and cut in well to strike a nice effort that Ferguson got down well to save comfortably. Ferguson also did well when Greenwood tried her luck from fully 30-yards out.
This time the keeper got across to grab the United’s defender well-struck left foot effort that she unleashed after driving forward from defence. Then Gibson got inside the box but saw her angled effort from about 8-yards out well parried by Ferguson.
It was the turn of United’s keeper Donnelly to show her prowess at the other end for the game’s next chance. Lily Murphy getting a sight of goal inside the box but her right-foot 12-yarder saw Donnelly narrow the angle really well and block the effort.
Stoke though had looked more of a threat in the second half and actually pulled a goal back on 80 minutes. Murphy’s right-wing cross neatly flighted over the Newcastle defence and Logan crashing it home first time from about 10 yards with her right boot.
United by now had made all five substitutions and two of them combined to restore their three-goal cushion. Potts played a superb ball curling down the right touchline into the path of the marauding Anna Soulsby.
The winger beat her marker smartly and accelerated into the box. She could have gone for goal herself but unselfishly pulled the ball back to the six-yard box where Bridget Galloway was unmarked and United’s top scorer made no mistake with the left-foot finish.
So, another triumphant and emphatic display for United heralded another game chalked off with their tenure at the top well ensconced. Both Burnley and Forest also won on the day but the hoped for United slip-up that they needed never looked like happening.
Jeff – I keep meaning to post mate, I really like your articles & appreciate you covering the women’s games.
The bulk of focus is on the transitions of the men’s team, but what the women’s team is achieving is no mean feat & should be highlighted.
There were big chances made at the start of the season with a lot of players coming & going – so to have this level of success just shows they have the right people in place there too.
Sharpy17(Quote)