Newcastle United Women with dramatic late fightback deep in added time | OneFootball

Newcastle United Women went into their away game to Crystal Palace in desperate need of a positive result after three defeats in a row, following what was a disappointing draw at home to Sheffield United.

Palace, like Newcastle and Birmingham, were the pre-season favourites for the promotion spots, but the South London side got off to something of an indifferent start, much like Newcastle. In fact the Eagles were only one point better off before the game.

The two sides met in Sutton back in January where the hosts won the FA Cup encounter 2-0 with a pair of late goals. Back then Palace were a top flight side and although they were since relegated, they were still able to boast a strong side with WSL 1 experience.

Manager Becky Langley made one change to the side that started against Charlton last week, with Shania Hayles coming in for Molly Pike.

Isabella Sibley, who spent last season on loan at Kingston Park. was on the bench for Palace.

The game took place at Sutton United’s Borough Sports Ground on Gander Green Lane. A pocket of Newcastle fans were housed in the terracing to the left of the main stand with some Palace fans in the stand behind the goal.

Match Report

It was a tight first-half in South London, with Palace enjoying the better of the chances and playing a high tempo fast build up style of play. Annabel Blanchard’s snapshot whistled over the bar four minutes in, before the Eagles created their best chance of the half just five minutes later, when Abbie Larkin broke away from the Newcastle midfield with defenders struggling to get back.

With Larkin bearing down on goal, and both Elise Hughes and Ashleigh Weerden as passing options, the winger looked to slide in the Wales international. However, her pass was too strong, and Newcastle goalkeeper Femke Liefting managed to smother the ball before it reached Hughes.

There were a flurry of chances on 26 minutes, as United’s former Palace right back Lia Cataldo let fly with a ferocious effort from outside the box. The ball only missed the goal by a matter of inches after being set up by Beth Lumsden, who having stood up her defender in the box, cut the ball back to Cataldo.

A minute later Weerden found herself in space on the left-wing, but her lofted cross looped up in the wind and crashed off the top of Liefting’s crossbar.

As the game approached the final ten minutes of the first half, Freya Gregory stole the ball on the edge of the area, but her deflected shot floated into the hands of Palace’s American goalie Shae Yanez.

Blanchard ended the half as she began with a long-range strike that was saved by Liefting. But they did get the breakthrough 10 minutes following the restart after Kirsty Howat nodded in a wonderful cross from Weerden. Her header bounced beyond several United bodies before hitting Aoife Mannion on the line and going in.

(***Many thanks to Newcastle United fan Jamie Gallon for the photos)

Newcastle responded well to that setback though. Moments later a good effort from an almost impossible angle from Gregory, saw her hit a half-volley just wide across the face of goal. While, having not long entered the game, Emily Murphy was played through on goal after Morgan Gautrat won back possession. But the Irish international’s shot was dragged well wide of the post.

Sensing their lead wasn’t safe, Palace soon stepped up a gear and went close when Weerden’s corner was volleyed over by Belgian International Justine Vanhaevermaet. Three minutes later the home side had doubled their lead. Molly Sharpe, who was making her 101st Palace appearance, came off the bench and curled a 10 yard effort into the top corner after her initial attempt was saved.

Palace had mostly dominated proceedings and with a two goal lead the game looked safe. However, with a raft of changes from Becky Langley in response to going further behind, United found a way back into the match.

One of those changes, Molly Pike, used her pace to drive at Palace down the wing before setting up Jordan Nobbs who shot from just outside the area, however her effort sailed over. Five minutes later the ball bounced kindly for Murphy but her volley also cleared the bar.

Newcastle’s late push paid off when another substitute, Oona Sevenius, scored her first goal in black and white. Gautrat worked some space on the right, before finding Murphy, who left the ball for Sevenius, who calmly finished beneath the diving Yanez from close range.

But still a goal behind, United were not content to leave it there. Moments later Murphy got on the end of an excellent cross from Aoife Mannion, but she was unable to direct her header on target.

As the game entered the 8th minute of stoppage time, Gautrat swung in a corner from the right, which squirmed past Palace goalie Yanez and, despite entering a sea of bodies, the ball found the back of the net and incredibly the Lasses were back level.

Gautrat very nearly won the game with the last kick. Having been left unmarked in the box, she was found by Murphy’s cross. But an unbelievable diving save from Yanez denied her a chance to complete an incredible comeback.

Newcastle United: Femke Liefting, Lia Cataldo, Aoife Mannion, Deanna Cooper, Demi Stokes (c), Morgan Gautrat, Jasmine McQuade (Lois Joel 61), Jordan Nobbs, Beth Lumsden (Oona Sevenius 75), Shania Hayles (Emily Murphy 61), Freya Gregory (Molly Pike 75).

Subs not used: Claudia Moan, Charlotte Wardlaw, Elysia Boddy, Malgorzata Grec, Jorja Fox.

Crystal Palace: Shae Yañez, Hayley Nolan, Allyson Swaby, Jamie-Lee Napier, Josie Green (My Cato, 90+6), Annabel Blanchard, Justine Vanhaevermaet, Ashleigh Weerden, Abbie Larkin (Emma Watson, 83), Kirsty Howat (Molly-Mae Sharpe, 70), Elise Hughes.

Subs not used: Eve Annets (GK), Chloe Arthur, Isabella Sibley, Indiah-Paige Riley, Rusesha Littlejohn, Shanade Hopcroft.

Where that leaves Newcastle United Women

Coming away with a draw after you are two goals behind with three minutes to go, always feels like something of a victory. If truth be told I would have settled for a point before kick off and even when the fixtures came out, given where both these sides were expected to be.

Given the way the last few games have gone for the Lasses, I think they showed great character to fight back the way they did, and maybe this could be the turning point in the season that they need.

Palace fans were far from impressed, singing ‘2-2 to the referee.’ But if you looked at the stats, Newcastle comfortably outshot their hosts and you would be hard pushed to say they didn’t deserve at least a point.

The result sees Newcastle on five points and move one ahead of rivals Durham into 8th place in the WSL 2 table.

What’s coming up

Newcastle return home to Gateshead this weekend when they face a Bristol City side they failed to beat last season and indeed lost a pre-season friendly to them at Ashton Gate just five days before the season got underway.

The Lasses have also announced ticket details for their upcoming game with Sunderland on 16th November. That clash is set to take place at St James Park.