Gautrat on first Magpies goal: 'I was so shocked that it went in!' | OneFootball

United's American international had already registered an assist when she teed up Oona Sevenius in the 87th minute to start the comeback from 2-0 down against Crystal Palace on Sunday, but scoring directly from a corner with seconds left to play topped it all.

To score such an important goal away from home in those circumstances was something that took even a two-time World Cup winner a few seconds to process.

"I was so shocked that it went in," Gautrat told newcastleunited.com after the 2-2 draw. "It was one of those moments where it didn't click in my head that it had gone in.

"You're always worried about an offside or a foul, but once I knew it had gone in, I was just thinking that we needed to go for the win, but in the end, we've tied the game and taken the point."

After being asked whether she meant her audacious effort at the VBS Community Stadium, Gautrat couldn't help but laugh and revealed the truth.

"No, I'm not even going to pretend that I meant it or that I score them all the time in training!"

While United did find themselves behind for the majority of the second half, it was the Magpies who had the final chance to leave the capital with all three points.

If not for an inspired last-second save from Shae Yanez, who looked to be beaten, Gautrat would have been celebrating all three points and a brace but instead she had to give credit to the Crystal Palace shot-stopper and take the positives.

"The ball was spinning in the wind, which was crazy all game, and I was just thinking I had to make contact and get it low," she added.

"I saw the goalkeeper was on the other side of her goal, and I thought it was a good chance for me, and anything low was going to go in, but she made a great save, so credit to her.

"Overall, I think we showed a lot of character and fight to come back, and I think this is what this club is all about, and for us, it's now about taking the positives and moving forward."

Newcastle's number seven uprooted and moved her career from Orlando to Newcastle during the summer when she left Orlando Pride to pull on the black and white shirt.

The technically astute midfielder has admitted that the past few weeks and months have been a bit of a 'whirlwind' for her, but is beginning to settle into the North East lifestyle.

"It's certainly been a whirlwind, just making the move over here. I'm just settling into life here, and the girls have all been so welcoming, which has been great for me.

"But for us as a team, it's now about picking up results because we all have one goal in mind, and I think we're building towards that."