Newcastle United Women’s team returned to action following the international break, where no fewer than 14 of the players were involved with their respective countries.

Freya Gregory, Kathleen McGovern, Rachel McLauchlan and Martha Thomas (Scotland), Gemma Evans, Casi Gregson and Lois Joel (Wales), Leanne Kiernan and Aoife Mannion (Ireland), Hildur Antonsdóttir (Iceland), Charlotte Wardlaw (Scotland U23s), Oona Sevenius (Finland), Hanna Németh (Hungary) and Kaitlyn Torpey (Australia) were all in action.

During the break Tanya Oxtoby was named the Barclays WSL 2 Manager of the Month for September. The Lasses recorded a perfect start to the season, winning all five league games, scoring eleven goals and conceding just once.

The Australian was joined by Martha Thomas as she made it a Newcastle double by taking home the Barclays WSL 2 Player of the Month. Scoring four goals in two games, the Scotland International saw off Southampton full back Megan Collett and Sunderland’s flying winger Katy Watson along with team mate Beth Lumsden who did have the consolation of winning the club’s KNOX Player of the Month award for September.

In the midst of that strong start, United did suffer defeat in the Subway Players (League) Cup away to Aston Villa (one of six matches Newcastle United Women’s team will play in the league phase). But it was significant for Demi Stokes who made her 50th appearance for the club. While, four days later Lois Joel achieved the same feat when coming on as substitute in the win against Durham.

Going into this latest cup game against Sunderland on Sunday, Tanya Oxtoby opted to name a strong side, with only goalkeeper Anna Tamminen and left back Kaitlyn Torpey missing from what would be considered their regular starting line-up.

Sunderland are coached by former Lasses player-manager, and Alan Shearer’s cousin, Mel Reay. She named nine changes to the side that beat Leicester City 3-1 in WSL2 before the international break. On loan players Ria Bose and Lily Dent were given their first starts and in the case of Bose, probably should be their starting Right Back going forward, given how well she played.

A crowd of 2,773 braved the chilly conditions with rival fans mixing happily before, during and after the game, with no trouble reported. A first airing of the revamped Blaydon Races was heard and personally I think it’s an improvement on the previous version. PA announcer Andy Sixsmith could well do with turning down the noise from his microphone and actually focus on doing his job, namely announcing substitutions and recognising Leeds isn’t in the North East!

Match report

The Newcastle United Women’s team lost a first ever competitive fixture to Sunderland in a rivalry that goes back decades, to when the Wearside club were located in the West End of Newcastle and were known as the Cowgate Kestrels.

A mostly even first half saw Newcastle just about edge it. Jordan Nobbs was the first to force a save from visiting goalie Noa Schumacher inside the opening exchanges, before top scorer Martha Thomas sent a ball across goal towards Mollie Lambert who was unable to connect, eight minutes in.

Soon after, Katie Bradley did well to release Beth Lumsden, who played in Nobbs, but she saw her attempted lob parried away by Schumacher. The American-born goalie was soon called into action again when Jemma Purfield stabbed a low cross from Lumsden towards goal, but her effort lacked any real power to truly test her.

Sunderland did a great job in keeping Lumsden quiet after that, and the remainder of the half played out with few clear cut chances for either side.

But the visitors made a double change at the break, bringing on Katy Watson who has been in similar form for her side as Lumsden has been for the Lady Mags.

Watson was soon into the action and four minutes into the second half she burst past Charlotte Wardlaw before sending a low cut back towards Katie Kitching, who despite scuffing her shot was able to do enough to wrongfoot Kayla Rendell, making her home debut in goal.

Newcastle were offered a chance back into the game when they were awarded a penalty with 25 minutes to go. Nobbs was brought down by Schumacher after she raced onto a Rachel McLauchlan pass into the box.

However, a poor penalty from Thomas, with a controversial short run up, saw her place it low to Schumacher’s right and comfortably saved, as she pushed it round the post.

Sunderland had chances to add to their lead either side of the penalty miss while their high press were forcing United’s back four under the kind of pressure they haven’t experienced this season.

The Lady Black Cats could have gone further ahead a few minutes after taking the lead with Watson just inches away from stabbing home former Newcastle defender Brianna Westrup’s header across the box. Then moments after the penalty, impressive left back Mary Corbyn drove forward and shot from the edge of the area, her curling effort being tipped wide by Rendell with another good save.

With five minutes to go United had another chance to force a penalty shootout, but Freya Gregory’s cross-cum-shot was palmed out by Schumacher and Sunderland left with the psychological advantage ahead of the first league meeting next month.

Newcastle United: Kayla Rendell, Rachel McLauchlan (c), Aoife Mannion, Jemma Purfield, Charlotte Wardlaw, Hildur Antonsdóttir (Freya Gregory 60), Katie Bradley (Lois Joel 81), Jordan Nobbs, Beth Lumsden (Leanne Kiernan 67), Martha Thomas, Mollie Lambert (Kathleen McGovern 60),

Subs not used: Anna Tamminen, Hanna Németh, Oona Sevenius, Gemma Evans, Jessie Gale

Sunderland: Noa Schumacher, Ria Bose, Chloe Paxton, Brianna Westrup (C), Mary Corbyn, Natasha Fenton, Marissa Sheva, Katie Kitching (Kassandra Missipo 70), Lily Dent (Sanni Franssi 46), Ella Parker (Katy Watson 46), Emily Scarr (Elise Hughes 81).

Subs not used: Fran Stenson, Tara Bourne, Jessica Brown, Emily Cassap, Tess Laplacette.

Where that leaves Newcastle United Women’s team

Five wins from five in the league sees Newcastle top by two points over Sunderland. However, two defeats to start off their League Cup campaign shows a different story.

Whilst it is easy to dismiss this result as ‘it’s only the cup’ and United not having a realistic chance of winning it, perhaps the fact Manager Tanya Oxtoby naming as strong a team as possible shows exactly how serious she was taking this derby game.

What’s coming up

We head into a busy period of the season with another League Cup game set to take place on Wednesday when they make the trip across the Pennines to Goodison Park to face WSL1 opposition in Everton.

They are back in WSL2 action on Sunday, when they travel down to the City Ground to play unbeaten side Nottingham Forest in what promises to be another tough game.