Late drama and FA Cup exit as Newcastle United Women lose to top tier opposition | OneFootball

Newcastle United Women were in FA Cup action on Sunday, when they made the trip to the VBS Community Stadium to take on WSL side Crystal Palace, with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs.

The game was played at Gander Green Lane, the home of Sutton United.

The Newcastle fans were housed in the seats behind the goal at the Collingwood Road End with some flag-bearing Palace fans were to their right in the modest terracing. While most of the home support were housed in the Main Stand and the surrounding terracing.

Palace, who won promotion from the Championship last season, have struggled in the women’s top flight this season, and currently find themselves bottom of the standings, although some high profile signings during the January transfer window has seen them start to look more competitive.

The game served as a chance for the Newcastle United Women to measure themselves against top level opposition with the club aiming to play there in the not too distant future.

During the week leading up to the game, recent signing Freya Gregory received a first senior call up for Scotland. She will join up with the squad ahead of the Nations League games against Austria and the Netherlands later this month.

Shania Hayles has been nominated for the January Barclays Women’s Championship Goal of the Month award for her strike against Portsmouth a couple of weeks ago.

With an ever growing injury list and some players ineligible to play, Manager Becky Langley’s hand was somewhat forced with the team and formation she named. A 4-2-4 with a pair of central strikers, meant both Shania Hayles and Emily Murphy started, with a third striker, Amy Andrews playing down the right and fit again Beth Lumsden on the left.

Deanna Cooper had been named in the starting XI for the last three games before being forced off the field early due to injury on each occasion, so it was good to see the experienced central defender back for this game. Freya Gregory and Charlotte Wardlaw were cup-tied while Isabel Sibley couldn’t play against her parent club, so all three missed out.

There were also plenty of connections between the two clubs with; Paige Bayley-Gayle, Lia Cataldo, Amber-Keegan Stobbs, Poppy Pritchard and Sibley having all played for the Lady Mags and Palace in recent seasons.

Match Report

A bright start from United saw them win a string of corners to cap off their positive attacking play. The best of which came when Lois Joel floated one in from the left to find Cooper. However, Palace goalie Milla-Maj Majasaari claimed her header.

Palace were perhaps not used to having much possession playing against the top teams in the WSL, while Newcastle were the opposite. Often taking games to their opponents in the Championship. This meant Palace were quite happy to sit back and defend for large parts of the first half with Newcastle having a lot of the ball.

Palace’s main striker Katie Stengle looked the most lively player going forward, running the channels well and crossing balls into the box when they did advance forward. She also linked up well with Indiah-Paige Riley down the right and did brilliantly to control a ball early on, but her shot went into the side-netting.

Mille Geji was another who caused Newcastle problems, when the midfielder tried to slide Annabel Blanchard through on goal. However, United goalie Claudia Moan was quick off her line to collect the loose ball.

The rest of the half was all Newcastle. Joel and Andrews combined down the right to cross for Lumsden who’s header was blocked before Majasaari gathered. Then Hayles was played into space but she held onto the ball for too long before releasing the shot allowing Palace defender Katrine Veje to come across and block for a corner.

Further chances saw Joel’s short free-kick find Murphy to cross to Hayles at the back post, but the striker fired over. Before Demi Stokes’ floated cross found Andrews, but her spinning volley went wide. Newcastle ended the half with Lumsden cutting in from the left but unable to get her shot off left the ball for Andrews who curled a left-footed effort towards goal but was unable to trouble Majasaari.

Newcastle began the second half with another injury scare. Goalie Claudia Moan received lengthy treatment after a collision with Lexi Potter. But thankfully she was okay to continue and the Lady Mags certainly needed her as Palace took over.

Moan stopped a good chance from Stengel after she got in behind the Newcastle backline, before dealing with Lily Woodham’s rocket from the edge of the area.

Palace midfielder Annabel Blanchard was beginning to run the show. She had one shot hit the inside of the post before half-time before she sent Stengel through on goal, with Moan forced into a massive save from close range. The home side perhaps had their best chance soon after when Gejl hit the bar with a long range effort.

United’s chances had dried up since the break but the introduction of Jas McQuade certainly made a difference. Within a couple of minutes of coming on she linked up well with Hannah Greenwood and Hayles before firing over. Lois Joel then hit a free-kick from 20 yards out but it narrowly sailed over Majasaari’s bar.

Palace then scored with 10 minutes to go. Potter did well to get in behind the Newcastle defence before sending a low cross over to Ashleigh Weerden to stab home.

Seconds later Blanchard could have made it 2-0 when she fired across the face of goal. Before Lia Cataldo blocked a Weerden half-volley close to goal. It was all Palace now and another huge save from Moan, saw her deny Blanchard from close range after some fantastic build up play from Stengel and substitute Ria Oling. Moan was not done with her heroics. Bravely grabbing the ball off Stengel’s feet, as Palace had three players bearing down on goal.

They made the game safe in the 94th minute, after Blanchard received the ball deep in the Newcastle half, before finding Abbie Larkin on the right. The substitute’s long range effort found the net via a deflection from Rachel Furness who tried in vain to block the shot.

Newcastle development player Ava Chapman came on for the final few minutes and did well to beat Veje and Josie Green, before cutting the ball back for Joel. However, the midfielder’s shot was straight at Majasaari.

Palace made changes of their own with My Cato, Elise Hughes and Clarissa Larisey all causing problems for Newcastle in the final minutes.

Newcastle United Women:

Claudia Moan, Lia Cataldo, Deanna Cooper, Hannah Greenwood, Demi Stokes (Rachel Furness 69), Amber-Keegan Stobbs (Jasmine McQuade 64), Lois Joel, Amy Andrews, Emily Murphy, Shania Hayles (Ava Chapman 84), Beth Lumsden (Katie Barker 69),

Subs not used:

Grace Donnelly, Hannah Hawkins.

Where that leaves NUFC

Newcastle’s involvement in the FA Cup is now over for the year and as they say, can now concentrate on the league, with everything to play for.

As you can see, very tight and Newcastle United Women one of a number of clubs who can potentially finish top and get the sole promotion spot

What’s coming up

Newcastle’s next game isn’t until March now, when Bristol City visit Kingston Park for the next league game. They have a bye week then the international break coming up in the next couple of weeks.

The club have announced sales of 16,000 tickets ahead of the Tyne-Wear derby, which is set to take place at St James Park on Sunday 23rd March.

The derby has seen both the East Stand and Gallowgate already 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.