Newcastle United Women suffer setback in promotion six-pointer
After a lacklustre performance seven days ago against Sheffield United in the opening home game of the season at Gateshead International Stadium, United’s Head Coach Becky Langley rang the changes for the trip to fellow promotion candidate favourites Birmingham City.
With a big squad available to her, Langley made no fewer than six changes to her starting XI including a first outing for ex-England International Jordan Nobbs who slotted into central midfield alongside Morgan Gautrat who was returning from injury.
Femke Liefting got the nod over Claudia Moan in goal for a Newcastle debut with Oona Sevenius earning her first start alongside the returning skipper Demi Stokes and Lia Cataldo. Moan, Lois Joel, Shania Hayles, Freya Godfrey and Beth Lumsden all dropping to the bench.
Last week’s goal scorer Jas McQuade was also on the bench alongside Malgorzata Grec and Jorja Fox. There was no place in the match day squad for Emma Kelly who had started the previous squad and who was perhaps injured.
Langley despite the changes still stuck rigidly to her now preferred 3-5-2 formation as the game got underway at St. Andrews with United immediately on the back foot and looking vulnerable. So, it proved as United felt The Blues with City taking the lead after only nine minutes.
Liefting perhaps should have done better when Veatriki Sarri struck one from 25-yards out that seemed to squirm past Liefting’s efforts to keep the ball out. Five minutes later and the home side doubled their lead.
A low cross from Rebecca McKenna wasn't fully cleared by United, allowing Batcheba Louis to volley home from the edge of the area into the bottom left corner. United two down and with a mountain to climb.
They almost got back into the game when Molly Pike picked out the unmarked Stokes at the back post, but despite her ferocious effort beating Blues keeper Lucy Thomas, McKenna was backing her up to prevent a certain goal.
United were trying to find a footing. Murphy showing good strength down the right-hand side and picking out Sevenius, whose first-time touch teed up Pike but her effort from just inside the penalty area was straight at Thomas who saved easily.
Despite United now looking stronger they were rocked back on 38 minutes when City went into an almost unassailable three-goal lead. A corner wasn't sufficiently cleared, allowing the hosts to recycle the ball to Lilly Crosthwaite, who made no mistake in thumping home her effort into the far corner.
Into the second half and United grabbed a lifeline on the hour mark. A well-won header by Charlotte Wardlaw set Sevenius free down the left. The Finnish international picking out substitute Jas McQuade on at half-time for Nobbs making a late run into the box before heading over Thomas.
But any hopes Newcastle had of a late revival were dashed on 71 minutes when Birmingham restored their 3-goal lead. Substitute Joel's poor pass going straight to Oceana Hurtre, who finished first time into an empty net.
Wor Lasses did net a consolation goal on 87 minutes when another substitute Lumsden managed to get on the scoresheet for the first time this season. She pounced on Murphy's strike, which cannoned off the crossbar, nipping in in front of the Birmingham defenders to fire home.
But it was too little too late as The Lady Mags crashed to their first League defeat of the season in a disappointing display against a very well-organised and dangerous looking Birmingham outfit.
