Match Report: Newcastle Women’s 1st 2-0 Sunderland Women 1sts

Sunderland Women’s 1sts fell to defeat against Newcastle Women’s 1sts despite putting in a spirited performance that merited a draw.

Newcastle started the better side in the opening stages as they won successive corners in the opening four minutes after Emily Atkinson’s shot took a deflection off Georgia Breward. Maddie Blundell took both corners, but Grace Carr was alert both times as she headed the ball away from danger.

Sunderland then had a chance of their own in the seventh minute as Pavanjot Kaur drove at the heart of the Newcastle defence before being fouled 25-yards from goal by Kaleigh Roberts.

Chantelle Ketteringham stepped up and hit her effort straight at the wall, as the home side cleared their lines.

The home side looked likely to take an early lead in the 13th minute as Tilly Wyman sprung the offside trap to leave herself 1 on 1 with Sunderland keeper Jess Kelly, who stood tall and kept out the resulting effort.

However, it was a sign of things to come as Newcastle broke the deadlock in the 26th minute. After Grace Carr passed the ball back to Kelly, she picked the ball up to concede an indirect free-kick in the box.

Blundell passed the ball short to Wyman who smashed her effort into the top corner to give her side an early lead.

Sunderland won another free-kick 25-yards from goal in the 42nd minute after Ketteringham was impeded by Lainie Maddocks.

Victoria Curtis stepped up and couldn’t keep her effort down as she fired her effort over the crossbar that saw Newcastle head into half-time ahead.

Sunderland women looked most likely to score the next goal as they won a corner in the 47th minute after Kaur’s shot took a deflection off Blundell.

Ketteringham took the corner which was swung straight on to the penalty spot, but Roberts was alert to head the ball away from danger.

Newcastle women were pushing for a second goal as they won a corner in the 63rd minute after Marcie Heckingbottom’s effort took a touch off Sunderland defender Carr to force a corner.

Emily Atkinson took the corner, but Mel Dobson jumped higher than her opponent as Sunderland women cleared their lines.

In the 81st minute, Kaur beat her marker down the left touchline before putting in a well timed cross into the box, although Newcastle keeper Eleanor Loughlin was on hand to claim her effort before Megan Wheeler could head the ball in.

The home side doubled their advantage in the 93rd minute after Wyman’s shot forced a corner off Dobson.

Blundell delivered an inch perfect cross that landed straight on to the head of Wyman who powered a header home in the last kick of the game that sealed a 2-0 victory for the home side.

The two sides face each other again next week in what is their final league game of the season, with Sunderland women looking to avenge the defeat to end their season on a positive note.