Match Report: Newcastle United 2-0 Portsmouth

Newcastle United sealed three points against Portmouth at the Gateshead International Stadium on Sunday.

Emily Murphy’s tap-in and Beth Lumsden’s strike saw Newcastle claim all three points.

Newcastle United Women came into this WSL2 clash in fourth place, following a 2-1 victory against Southampton in their last outing.

They were the controlling side in the opening stages, with their first chance coming inside 10 minutes. Emily Murphy played the ball to the overlapping Freya Gregory, whose low cross was parried out by Jess Gray in the Portsmouth goal.

Portsmouth’s first chance came in the 28th minute as Jemima Dahou played the ball to Meg Hornby on the right-hand side, who cut in on her left and her attempt was stopped by Anna Tamminen.

Just one minute later, Aoife Mannion was dispossessed by Angelia Nixon on the left-hand side, who passed it across the box and found Lucy Shepard, who scuffed her finish and the Magpies manage to clear.

The Lasses grabbed their first goal inside 42 minutes as Jordan Nobbs released the ball to Lois Joel, who put in wonderful curving ball that beat Jess Gray and found Murphy inside the six-yard box, who tapped it home.

The Magpies had a chance to double their lead in the 46th minute, as Nobbs played a long pass that found Murphy making a run on the right and played it across the box but nobody was there for the Lasses to tap it in.

The second half began with Newcastle pushing forward and trying to double their lead as Nobbs played another through ball to Murphy, who was one-on-one with the goalkeeper, who was off her line and couldn’t clear, but Murphy passed to Gregory on the left, whose shot was blocked by Jasmine Bull.

Lumsden doubled the Magpies’ lead as Joel played the ball to Murphy, who found Lumsden making a run into the box and slotted it past Gray.

Newcastle United next travel to Sheffield United on the 14th of March.