Newcastle United women’s team beat league leaders – Tremendous away display | OneFootball

The Newcastle United women’s team returned to action after the international break, with a long journey away to league leaders Birmingham City.

The Blues are quite handy at home, having already hammered Sunderland 5-0 there at the start of the season.

The Lady Mags were without suspended captain Amber Keegan Stobbs and injured playmaker Rachel Furness, so perhaps expectations were not as high going into the game.

That didn’t stop the travelling Toon Army though, as around 100 Newcastle fans made the trip down to St Andrews and made themselves heard in what was a quiet stadium, despite having plenty of home fans there.

Birmingham made the better start when they created the first chance of the game. Some great work by Ivana Fuso to break into the area, saw her deliver a low cross to Lily Agg, but the midfielder couldn’t keep her effort down.

That seemed to wake the Lady Mags up though as three minutes later they took the lead. Beth Lumsden, who enjoyed great freedom down the left wing, beat Birmingham right back Rebecca McKenna to create space for a cross that Shania Hayles put home for her sixth goal of the season.

Both sides went close soon after. A weak goal kick from Claudia Moan was seized upon by Fuso but she could only blast her low effort straight back at the United goalie. Then minutes later Amy Andrews won Newcastle a free kick, but Lumsden’s fierce effort was pushed away by Lucy Thomas in the Birmingham goal. Lumsden had another free kick soon after but her second effort was too high to trouble Thomas again.

Birmingham grew back into the game around the half hour mark as Lois Joel was forced into making an important block from Fuso. Then moments later Agg’s effort from distance was deflected over the bar. From the resulting corner Moan missed the ball but Charlotte Potts cleared Agg’s header off the line for a second corner as the home side looked to press home their advantage.

Amy Andrews tried to counter at the other end when she beat the offside trap but a last ditch challenge from Bex Holloway kept the Blues in the game with the United striker shouting for a penalty.

Birmingham’s Northern Irish striker Simone Magill had the ball in the net five minutes before half time. However, the flag quickly went up after Holloway’s ball to Fuso played her offside prior to the Brazilian sending in a good cross.

The half came to a close with Lumsden playing a nice ball inside for Joel who despite being pushed off balance, hit a good effort across goal, forcing Thomas into a save.

Birmingham started the second half with purpose and Newcastle were given a huge let off a couple of minutes in, when Christie Harrison-Murray’s corner found the unmarked McGowan who stabbed narrowly wide of the post. Seconds later Fuso saw her deflected cross hit the bar.

Birmingham’s elentless pressure continued when Claudia Moan was forced into an excellent save. Agg’s header won the ball back for the Blues before Magill sent a clever ball through to Fuso which split the Newcastle defence. The powerful drive was tipped over by Moan who was at full stretch.

Another big chance for the Blues saw a great cross by McGowan after she was picked out by Ashanti Akpan. The delivery dissected the Newcastle defence, but after Agg missed her shot, Fuso could only blaze over with the goal gaping.

Birmingham had Newcastle on the ropes as they continued to pile on the pressure. Neve Herron was the next home player to go close, as she hit the inside of the post with a header from a Harrison-Murray free kick, but the ball spun clear of the goal.

Then McGowan tried her luck from distance, hitting the bar, as the home side pushed hard for the equaliser.

No one was quite sure how Birmingham were not level.

A clever ball from Joel saw Lumsden cutting inside onto her right foot before switching to her left and driving a powerful shot which Thomas could only push onto the bar, substitute Isabella Sibley reacted quickest to the rebound as she squeezed her follow up over the line despite Herron desperately trying to clear the ball away.

A minute later Jas McQuade had a similar powerful drive at goal as Thomas pushed the ball over for a corner. While, Deanna Cooper got onto a Lumsden corner but her volley was also saved by Thomas. Lois Joel then saw her powerful strike blocked by Gemma Lawley with five minutes to go.

A flurry of substitutions failed to get Birmingham back in the game and Newcastle, despite having been under siege for the first 20 minutes of the second half, held on to end the Blues’ unbeaten run at home.

Newcastle can take a lot from this game, having beat arguably the best team they have faced in the Championship this season. They had to rely on Claudia Moan and the woodwork to help them but this is a massive three points. Howay The Lasses!

This is how the Women’s Championship table looks on Monday (4 November 2024):

Newcastle United:

Claudia Moan, Liv Watt, Deanna Cooper, Charlotte Potts, Demi Stokes, Elysia Boddy, Lois Joel, Jasmine McQuade (Georgia Gibson 89), Amy Andrews (65), Shania Hayles (Isabella Sibley 60), Beth Lumsden (Katie Barker 89)

Birmingham City:

Lucy Thomas, Rebecca McKenna (Martha Harris 64), Gemma Lawley, Neve Herron, Rebecca Holloway, Ashanti Akpan (Ava Baker 78), Christie Harrison-Murray, Lily Agg (Cho So-Hyun 78), Ivana Fuso, Simone Magill (Libby Smith 64), Tegan McGowan (Siobhan Wilson 78)