Newcastle United Women’s team grab point with stunning late comeback at St Mary’s | OneFootball

Newcastle United Women headed into their away game with Southampton in seventh place of the Barclays Women’s Championship, one place and four points better off than their opponents.

It was another busy week in the transfer window with fan favourite Sophie Haywood signing with third tier Nottingham Forest on loan until the end of the season. It was a move which created a spot in the squad with a maximum of 25 available. Soon after, Irish international Emily Murphy was announced as having signed from America and will wear the number 35 shirt.

Elsewhere, Hannah Greenwood celebrated her birthday on the day of the game while right back Lia Cataldo celebrated her first anniversary of wearing black and white by being named the Sela Player of the Month for January.

A number of Newcastle fans made the 656 round mile trip to a sunny St. Mary’s Stadium, where they were in amongst the 2,598 strong home crowd in the Itchen Stand.

They witnessed an unchanged Newcastle line up to the one that started last week in the 3-2 home win over Portsmouth, with Freya Gregory making a quick return to her former side and former Portsmouth winger Beth Lumsden named to the bench as she continues her injury comeback.

Saints were chasing their first points of the new year. Southampton had been hit by injuries in recent weeks, something Newcastle could sympathise with.

However, Newcastle captain Amber Keegan Stobbs was still expecting a tough test against a good side who dominated their last meeting at St James Park (ending 1-1) and she would be proved right.

Match Report

Newcastle made a positive start with Shania Hayles having a close-range header from Katie Barker’s cross, saved by Saints goalie Fran Stenson. Before a ball across goal found Freya Gregory in space in front of Stenson, but Rachel Brown was on hand to clear the ball from danger.

Southampton soon responded with on-loan Arsenal forward Vivienne Lia causing Newcastle problems with her pace and direct running.

That should have been the warning sign but the Saints went ahead in the 9th minute. Araya Dennis released Brown on the overlap, who squared the ball across goal for Molly Pike to tap home from close range. It was Pike’s third goal of the season and one she took well, having wanted the ball more than slow to react, Newcastle defence.

Saints kept the pressure on with link-up play between Pike and Dennis, which also saw Brown pushing up into the final third but her cross was cleared, though Southampton soon doubled their lead.

A perfect through ball from Meg Collett cut out three members of Newcastle’s defence and played in Pike to drive into space, before firing home emphatically into the far corner over the outstretched Claudia Moan with a great finish.

It was a first half hour to remember for Southampton as they continued with great determination in regaining possession, which saw Lia run through on goal again only to shoot wide. Before Georgia Mullett was denied by a strong block from Charlotte Wardlaw.

Moments later Pike nearly completed her hat trick after the ball broke for her in the middle of the area but Deanna Cooper produced a huge block, which eventually saw her leave the game after receiving treatment.

Another stoppage for Rachel Brown, who also had to leave the game, meant there was nine minutes of additional time. It presented the Lady Mags a great chance to cut the arrears when Shania Hayles was played through on goal but Stenson stood her ground and forced her wide.

A triple change at half-time saw Emily Murphy make her debut as entered the game alongside Rachel Furness and Amy Andrews in place of Lois Joel, Jas McQuade and Katie Barker.

Saints kept their momentum into the second half despite some initial cagey defending in the box. Then Lia continued to torment the Lasses. A nice team move played her in one-on-one but her effort was saved. Before she shot high and wide after cutting inside Hannah Greenwood. Moments later she was denied by Moan after running onto Pike’s threaded ball.

Perhaps that was the turning point of the game, as Southampton failed to kill off the game with those chances and Newcastle grabbed one back soon after. Some impressive build-up play saw excellent one touch passing from Gregory, Andrews and Murphy, she found Hayles who spun her marker before hammering home on the turn into the top corner.

Southampton almost responded minutes later when Araya Dennis found space before sending an effort just wide of the near post. Then from a Newcastle corner Mullett collected the ball on the counter and, having ran box-to-box, fed the ball into Pike’s supporting run, but with a chance to bag her hat trick, could only watch as her strike agonisingly hit the crossbar.

It was all Newcastle in the final 15 minutes as they pushed for an equaliser. Hayles slid Murphy through on goal, but her first-time effort was straight at Stenson’s legs. Before a Stobbs drive forward saw her shoot from the edge of the area, only to be denied by Stenson again.

Stenson was needed once again a minute later, this time pushing a shot from Andrews onto the post and gratefully collecting the rebound off her own back as the ball spun behind her. Andrews had done well cutting inside the area and whipping a goalbound effort after latching onto Murphy’s delicate flick.

Newcastle continued to push with Rachel Furness’ cross clearing Stenson’s head but bouncing off the far post, and Gregory almost getting a goal in stoppage time with a deep ball towards the far corner that Stenson eventually gathered.

But with virtually the last kick of the game, Newcastle repeated their trick from the return fixture (see below) and broke Southampton hearts with a last gasp equaliser.

After a corner was swung in and not fully cleared, despite an initial Stenson save, substitute Andrews found the back of the net for a last-minute equaliser to level the scores. Southampton failed to clear Beth Lumsden’s corner and after a scramble in the box, Andrews ran onto the loose ball before firing past several players on the line.

Newcastle United: Claudia Moan, Lia Cataldo, Deanna Cooper (Hannah Greenwood 34), Charlotte Wardlaw, Demi Stokes, Amber-Keegan Stobbs, Lois Joel (Rachel Furness 46), Jasmine McQuade (Emily Murphy 46), Katie Barker (Amy Andrews 46), Shania Hayles (Beth Lumsden 87), Freya Gregory.

Subs not used: Grace Donnelly, Hannah Hawkins, Isabella Sibley, Ava Chapman.

Where that leaves Newcastle United Women in the table

Newcastle remain as they were before the game in seventh place.

They have 20 points from 12 games played and have a game in hand on most of the sides above them, including league leaders Birmingham City who are six point above NUFC. Only the top side get promoted to the Women’s Super League.

Shania Hayles’ goal maintained her place at the top of Barclays Women’s Championship scorers charts, with nine now for the season.

What’s coming up?

Newcastle return to FA Cup action next weekend when they travel to South London to take on WSL side Crystal Palace. in what should be a good game to measure themselves against and see just where the level is in securing a place in the women’s top flight.

The Tyne-Wear derby, which is set to take place at St James’ Park on Sunday 23rd March, has seen both the East Stand and Gallowgate alrwady sell out. The Leazes End has now been opened up for further ticket sales (go HERE to buy). The club promotion for the game has gone into overdrive with several videos released onto social media under the ‘Oh Me Lasses’ tagline.