Sunderland Women 1 Newcastle United Women 1 | OneFootball

United were the ones who made the early running in the Wear-Tyne derby; however, Sunderland Women’s first shot of the game, a Katy Watson volley, put the Black Cats ahead after 17 minutes.

Neither keeper was truly tested in an affair of low chances disrupted by a howling wind on Wearside.

There was a single change for Tanya Oxtoby’s side, with last season’s derby day hero, Shania Hayles, coming in for another derby specialist, Lumsden.

With emotions high and an atmosphere building at the Stadium of Light, United almost silenced it after four minutes when Jemma Purfield fizzed her header at the near post just over the crossbar after meeting Freya Gregory’s perfect delivery.

While Newcastle were probing the Sunderland backline and enjoying the majority of possession, it was the Black Cats who took the lead with their first shot of the game.

Marissa Sheva’s cross took out the United backline, leaving Watson unmarked, and her first-time volley nestled into Anna Tamminen’s far corner.

The game became stop-start after Sunderland’s goal, with stoppages in play, fouls, and injuries, halting both sides from creating any rhythm or flow.

In the blustery conditions on Wearside, set-pieces were looking to be a good avenue for Newcastle to explore, and a Molly Pike whipped towards the back post found Murphy, but her header back across goal was well cleared.

It was a tight affair in the second half, with both sides unable to carve open the other and neither goalkeeper being called into anything more than routine catches and goalkicks.

However, life appeared to be instilled back into the Lasses when Emily Murphy found the back of the net for the third time in two games this season against Sunderland, only for the linesman to have his flag up for offside, despite the number 35 not appearing to be the deepest player.

Newcastle were finally rewarded for their domination of the ball and pinning back of Sunderland when substitute Sevenius levelled things up.

With just nine minutes of regular time to play, a Jordan Nobbs cross took a slight flick off Beth Lumsden’s boot, taking the ball into the path of Sevenius, and the Finnish international needed just one touch before firing low and hard into the bottom corner.

Moments before the fourth official put her board up for additional time, a lofted cross into the box was missed by Mannion, but fortunately, Jamie Finn didn’t have enough time to react, with her effort falling at the feet of Tamminen.

Newcastle United Women: Anna Tamminen, Charlotte Wardlaw (Kaitlyn Torpey 46), Jordan Nobbs, Jemma Purfield (Oona Sevenius 66), Emma Kelly (Morgan Gautrat 82), Shania Hayles (Beth Lumsden 66), Molly Pike, Freya Gregory, Deanna Cooper, Aoife Mannion (c), Emily Murphy

Subs not used: Claudia Moan. Demi Stokes, Małgorzata Grec, Jasmine McQuade, Lois Joel