It was an emotionally charged day for all at Kingston Park on Sunday afternoon.
The magnificent crowd of 4,089 paid tribute to two players making their last appearances in the squad for Newcastle United’s women. One a Club legend and the other a returning player who was the game’s hero.
Two Lasses bid farewell
Goalkeeper Grace Donnelly is United’s longest-serving player and record appearance holder. Golden Glove winner in each of United’s promotion seasons, she has amassed 140 Newcastle outings over her eight seasons and also skippered the home-town Club that is in her heart and blood.
The pre-season arrival of ex-Sunderland stopper Claudia Moan has meant that Donnelly hasn’t played a single second this season, but she remains one of the Captains within the squad and is a massively popular figure around the squad and one many turn to for advice.
We await to see what the future holds for Donnelly but wherever that path leads her she has the very best wishes of all at The Club with her whatever decision she makes. As does veteran Northern Ireland international Rachel Furness who returned to the Club this season after starting her career at United.
Furness has always been the model professional and whilst perhaps not playing as much as she would have liked has always given 100% for the black and white shirt when called upon. No more so than on Sunday when her bullet header earned United a deserved 1 – 1 with Birmingham City.
Both players were afforded standing ovations at the end of the game from the grateful United fan base as they brought their home careers down in front of the adoring watching Geordies. Furness may still have one more game in her locker in the season’s finale at Blackburn Rovers next weekend.
Match report: Lasses earn impressive point
The game itself was another where United more than matched their higher placed opponents. City with this draw can still win the Championship title if they can beat London City Lionesses at St. Andrews next Sunday. A game that will be live on Sky Sports.
United manager Becky Langley talked about ‘small margins’ in her post-game press conference referring in particular to the number of games her side has drawn this season some from winning positions. Turning a few of them into wins could well have seen Newcastle vying for the title.
Games like Charlton Athletic at home where they were 3 – 1 up with four minutes to play and drew 3 – 3. Only getting a point at relegated Sheffield United and on the road at Southampton a game they expected to win. All of these have added up during the season and took promotion chances away.
But if the results go in United’s favour they could still finish 3rd in the League and whatever the results this coming Sunday Becky Langley’s side will finish no lower than 6th which would be a very respectable effort and they’d have the bonus of finishing above Championship stalwarts Sunderland.
A trip though to Ewood Park to play a Blackburn Rovers side United trounced 6 – 0 a matter of weeks ago at home is Newcastle’s final fixture and a final flourish in that game and the hoped for win would also mean a finish that may well leave them thinking, ‘what if?’
On Sunday Wor Lasses looked up for the game from the off and dominated possession creating the early chances. AD Franch was the first keeper tested in the game, in the opening five minutes as United made a quick start to the game.
Shania Hayles raced through on goal beating Shannon Cooke to the ball and forcing Franch to produce a low save at the foot of her post. United continued to dominant the early proceedings and came inches away from taking the lead.
Freya Gregory then showed Rebecca McKenna a clean pair of heels as she raced down the left got to the byline and dinked a great cross over the head of Franch to Emily Murphy at the back post but somehow, someway Murphy couldn’t force the ball home when it looked easier to score.
Gregory then stood up another cross to the back post for Beth Lumsden and Hayles to close in on both looking as they could get there but Neve Herron showed brilliantly awareness to be at the back post to clear from virtually on her own goal line.
Lumsden had the next big chance midway through the first half, as she shifted the ball one way then the other to work room but the shot took a wicked deflection off of Rebecca Hollaway and fortunately for the visitors landed on the roof of the net.
Emily Murphy with driving runs from midfield and linking up with Lumsden, Hayles and the impressive Gregory who was giving McKenna a torrid time had Wor Lasses very much on the front foot and a breakthrough looked like. Lumsden going close with another drive from just inside the area that Franch held well.
Despite having to do much defending at this point it was Birmingham that took the lead on 26 minutes against the run of play. A ball into the box from Christie Harrison-Murray caught United square-footed and Simone Magill got there first to loop a header from 8-yards over Claudia Moan in United’s goal.
The goal lifted Birmingham and they gained more control of the game. Ivana Fuso having an effort on goal, as Lee Geum-min’s clever flick opened up space, but it was straight at Moan who gathered comfortably.
An opening for McKenna to double the visitors lead just minutes before the break saw Ava Baker raced away down the right-hand side and pull the ball back for the Blues fullback, but Deanna Cooper read the danger to close down the space and make a fine block to keep the lead at a single goal.
United similar to the first half, came flying out the traps and looked to force an equaliser. Demi Stokes ball into Birmingham’s penalty area causing a massive scramble. No-one from United though could get a decisive connection with the ball eventually falling kindly for Franch to collect.
Then United almost gifted City a second. A poor back pass from Lumsden was well intercepted by Magill, who drove forward and shot towards the far post. Moan diving low managed to get fingertips to the effort to turn it way in fine style for a corner which came to nothing.
Another chance went begging for Birmingham when Magill slid in Rebecca Holloway who got a fine strike at goal, but Moan was there again to parry it away. Those saves became even more important when United levelled on 56 minutes.
Gregory was fouled midway inside the Birmingham half right on the left touchline. She dusted herself off and delivered a peach of a free kick right into the danger area. Furness timing her run perfectly got up to power in a superb header from 10-yards out beyond the reach and dive of Franch.
The Lady Mags initially came closest to taking the lead, as Lois Joel was unchallenged and was given space to fire a ball across the box, but Murphy and Hayles just failed to get on the end of the cross with the goal gaping.
Birmingham then had two great chances to retake the lead. Shannon Cooke getting on the end of a corner to bundle the ball goalwards but Stokes was in the right place to keep it out with a goal line clearance.
Then McKenna did well to pick out Magill just inside the box, who got a decent strike at goal but again Moan was well positioned to parry away for a corner. From the resulting kick Moan spilled the ball right on her own goal line and Cooke stabbed it at goal but there was Furness to make a brilliant block and keep Birmingham out.
It was the last action of an entertaining game that ended honours even with both sides deserving of a point in a very close encounter that could have gone either way and leaves Wor Lasses with that final fixture at Blackburn to play.
