Once again Wor Lasses were on the road for their latest FA WNL Northern Premier Division league game and once again they came away with a solid win and three more points in their quest for the Division title and promotion to the Championship.
The 3 – 0 victory over Stourbridge was comfortable and dominant and in truth could have been more. But at this stage of the season you take any win and move on to the next game. Particularly when you’re in as strong a position as The Lady Mags are.
They now have a 12-point lead at the top of the table. Second placed Nottingham Forest’s game at Wolverhampton was postponed and third-placed Burnley could only draw 1 – 1 at West Bromwich Albion. All of which means that if United win four out of their last five league games they will be crowned Champions.
Some tough fixtures still await with next week’s trip to Wolverhampton perhaps the trickiest. They also have trips to West Bromwich Albion and Halifax to negotiate as well as home games against Liverpool Feds and Huddersfield. All teams that Newcastle have already beaten so far this season.
The signs are looking good and that Lady of a certain stature is warming her vocal chords increasingly more by the week! But, knowing Becky Langley, her coaching staff and players there’s no doubting that the focus will be on one game at a time and no complacency allowed.
The latest win came courtesy of a brace of goals from the mercurial Georgia Gibson and one from the returning influential Emma Kelly. Kelly one of two changes from last week’s 4 – 1 victory at Stoke City. She came in for skipper Amber-Keegan Stobbs and Bridget Galloway replaced Paige Bailey-Gayle.
Becky Langley’s side dominated from start to finish in difficult conditions showing their class to keep Stourbridge at bay throughout the ninety minutes and restricting the home side to precious few opportunities whilst creating many of their own.
Just seconds after kick-off Olivia Watt breaking forward before forcing a smart low save from Jamie-Lee Bamford in the Stourbridge goal. United’s impressive start saw them break the deadlock after 13 minutes. Kelly’s mazy run into the box ended up with her picking out Gibson, who fired home first-time into the bottom corner.
After being limited to nothing but long hopeful balls, the hosts almost found themselves level when Rosie Embley fizzed a long-distance free kick goal bound, only for Grace Donnelly, Captain on the day, to make a fantastic diving save.
A great effort From Donnelly but in truth it was the only time she was really tested in the whole game. Indeed from the resulting corner, Newcastle broke with a Jasmine McQuade through ball seemingly coming to nothing, but a poor touch from Bamford allowed Galloway to charge her down and almost deflect the ball into the roof of the net.
On the stroke of half time, United looked set to double their lead when Beth Lumsden picked out McQuade, who was instantly fouled on the edge of the box. Charlotte Potts struck the resulting free kick, but after some pinball in the area, Stourbridge keeper Bamford collected the ball.
United started the second half in the same vein as the opening 45 minutes by pinning Stourbridge back and seven minutes in, they got their reward as they doubled their lead. After neat play down Newcastle’s left-hand side, the ball was worked centrally to Kelly on the edge of the box. She took one touch before curling a stunning effort into the far corner.
Potts thought she’d added a third moments later as Stourbridge allowed United’s centre-back to carry the ball forward and rifle an effort which was heading for the bottom corner before Bamford got a slight touch on the ball to send it behind.
On 78 minutes though Newcastle did get their third and secured all three points to round off a fantastic away day in The Midlands. It was an excellent team goal starting all the way from the back with Donnelly.
United played their way through the lines and up the pitch. McQuade fizzed in a long-range effort which forced Bamford to parry her save. Gibson was quickest to the rebound in the six-yard box to blast the ball high into the roof of the net and complete a great individual performance.
So, Wor Lasses march on to Wolverhampton next weekend in great shape, full of confidence and bounce as they took another MAGnificently significant step forward in their quest to fulfil their season’s goals.
