Often in most sport, when a target is being chased, someone will say something along the lines of “we’ll not give it up until its no longer mathematically possible.”
Sadly, on Sunday at Kingston Park, that became a reality for Newcastle United Women.
Their 2 – 1 home defeat by table-topping London City Lionesses meant whatever unlikely chance there had been of Wor Lasses making it three-straight promotions and making it to the Women’s Super League at the first attempt in the Championship were over.
Not really a surprise, as despite the wave of optimism and hope, mainly amongst the fantastic supporter base, the aim this season was always to consolidate in the Championship, gain experience and learn and then see what they might need for a real tilt at promotion in 2025/26.
In that case its mission accomplished as despite United’s defeat they sit comfortably in the middle of the table with four games to go. They could yet finish in the top four of the league but wherever they do finish they have learned massive amounts and can take positives as they move forward.
One of perhaps the biggest positives is that they have now gone toe-to-toe to the prospective Championship winners and not really missed a beat. The squad NUFC Women have may still need a few tweaks here and there but what they have right now is a squad that gives them a chance.
In all fairness United deserved at least a point from this game and in her after match press conference Becky Langley said that the London City Manager Jocelyn Precheur conceded that Newcastle had been the better side. Some consolation no matter how small it is.
Match report: Newcastle United Women 1-2 London City Lionesses
To the game itself and the Mackem slaying combination of Emily Murphy and Shania Hayles almost repeated their trick inside 40 seconds of this game. Murphy driving towards goal and then sliding Hayles through on goal 1-on-1 with City keeper Emily Orman.
Hayles hit her 8-yard left foot effort with venom but Orman stood tall got a strong hand on the goal bound effort and prevented a dream start for United. Orman getting her reward with two minutes and twenty seconds on the clock as her side took an early lead.
A long free kick caught United’s defence out and Swedish international Sofia Jakobsson was in behind the back line. Although United prevented Jakobsson from getting a strike in the ball fell kindly to the Championship’s top scorer Isobel Goodwin who lashed it home from 17-yards out.
A dream start for London who almost doubled their lead three minutes later when Jakobsson curled an effort from the edge of the post past Claudia Moan’s dive but saw the ball go just wide of the far post.
United though were dominating possession and responding well. Rachel Furness lifting a ball into the box that deflected off Maria Perez and fell to Beth Lumsden whose first time half volley brought a great diving save out of Orman at the foot of her post.
On 32 minutes United’s efforts paid off with a great equaliser. It came when high pressing from Hayles saw her rob Teyah Goldie forty yards from goal. The ball being picked up by Murphy who drove directly at the City defence.
Two exquisite bits of timing, the pass from Murphy and the late bursting run from Lumsden saw the attacking wide forward smash her effort past Orman from 8-yards out and register her sixth goal of an impressive personal season.
United continued to attack but were rocked a minute before half-time when London went back in front against the run of play. Rofiat Imuran playing a ball wide on the left to Jakobsson. Lia Cataldo perhaps gave too much respect to the Swedish International as she stood off.
It allowed Jakobsson to cut inside and curl a right-foot shot from an angle through Moan’s hands and into the far corner of the net. Having got two hands to the effort Moan may well think she could have done better. But then again had the defence done their job a shot would not even have come in.
Moan did show her ability early in the second half when Kosovare Asllani got to the byline and cut the ball back well to Goodwin who curled a low shot towards the left-hand bottom corner of the net. Moan though got down smartly to save well.
Lumsden was looking the most likely for United to strike and when she had a free kick some 25 yards out she smashed it over the wall only to see Orman at full stretch parry the ball away. Deanna Cooper following up at pace just failed to put the rebound back into a dangerous area.
Jas McQuade who had a fine game and combined well with the front three of Hayles, Lumsden and Murphy almost unlocked the City defence with a great win in midfield and then a neat pass to Murphy. The Republic of Ireland International advancing to the edge of the box before firing a shot just too high.
United continued to press and as the injury time ticked down came within inches of a deserved equaliser. It was another Lumsden free kick that this time was too good for Orman but smacked back into play off the visitors’ cross bar and away from danger.
It was the last moment of a great game and undoubtedly one where United had been worthy of at least a share of the spoils. But some days its not your day and this in the end turned out to be exactly that.
A moral victory perhaps, but moral victories gain you nothing other than plaudits and praise. Langley and her players would have preferred to have had no praise or plaudits for their performance and taken a scruffy three points for a win instead.
