Newcastle United Women claimed a historic league double over North East rivals Sunderland, by winning one-nil at St. James’ Park, thanks to a late goal, scored on a counter attack by forward Shania Hayles. Daniel Wales reports.
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00:00A week on from the men winning the Carabao Cup, it was now Newcastle United Women's turn
00:07to celebrate success.
00:10Newcastle United Women claimed an historically double over North East rival Sunderland by
00:15winning 1-0 here at St James' Park thanks to a late goal scored on a counter-attack by
00:20forward Shania Hales.
00:21The 38,000-strong crowd inside St James' Park, apart from the travelling Sunderland contingent,
00:26were elated as the ball nestled in the back of the net, with the victory capping off what
00:31has been a week for the ages on Tyneside.
00:34Let's go back to the start of the day as the crowds arrived ahead of the derby.
00:41It was set to be a memorable day on Tyneside.
00:45Newcastle United Women were welcoming Sunderland Women to St James' Park for the first time
00:50in the Women's Championship, with Becky Langley's side having beaten their red and white rivals
00:56earlier on in the season at the Stadium of Light by two goals to one.
01:01The day was also the first occasion that the Carabao Cup was to be shown off in the North
01:05East as Bob Munker, the last Newcastle United captain before Bruno Gumaraes to lift major
01:11silverware for the club, was to present the trophy to the crowd alongside Chief Executive
01:16Darren Eales at half-time.
01:19All that was to come though, and for now, the atmosphere was building nicely around
01:24the stadium, with supporters eager to get inside ahead of kick-off.
01:32Both sides were looking to bounce back from losses suffered in their previous games, with
01:37Newcastle losing away at Durham and Sunderland coming up short against Portsmouth.
01:43The first half saw Newcastle dominate for large parts, but struggle to create any clear-cut
01:48chances.
01:49Sunderland had moments, but they were rare and easily stopped by the hosts.
01:54It took until the 78th minute for substitute Shania Hales to open the scoring, as she cut
02:00inside from the right before firing past Demi Lambourne in the Sunderland goal.
02:06Newcastle boss Becky Langley was then sent off from the touchline, with captain Amber
02:11Keegan-Stobbs and match-winner Hales having to reflect on the huge win in her place.
02:16Just be patient with it.
02:17We wanted to dominate the game, and we did, and it's just keeping our emotions in check,
02:22keeping together, knowing and trusting that the goal will come, and I think today we did
02:27that.
02:28I think it was calm everywhere, which I think sometimes in football that can tip you over
02:33the edge one way or another, but today just, yeah, just honestly felt it.
02:37I think the whole group did, and hopefully all the fans did, but yeah, just be patient
02:44with it, and we know we've got clinical players for Shania to come on and put away a banger
02:49like that, not surprised, but buzzing for her, and I think everyone hit top speed for
02:54the celebrations.
02:55What a moment.
02:56Whether I start or come on, I think I can do a job, obviously.
03:02I'm quite forward and direct, so sometimes it works, but the game might be a bit flat
03:07for the first 60 that you come on and try and do something, so I think today I did my
03:11job and, yeah, we got a win for the girls.
03:15Sunderland's lack of attacking threat ultimately let them down on the day, as was alluded to
03:21by head coach Mel Ray and captain Brianna Westrup.
03:25You know, we've done a lot of work in the week in terms of our shape, and in the areas
03:29of the pitch we wanted to exploit them, probably decision-making, you know, the retention of
03:37Do we carry forward, or do we protect and come back to recycle play?
03:40I think the opposite pocket was open quite a lot, but we couldn't quite find it.
03:44I think that's a little bit down to the way we ask our team to play.
03:49Our front three do a really big shift for us out of possession.
03:53Not all teams have their front three do that, but it's something that, upon reflection of
03:57the first half of the season, we were conceding quite a lot of goals, and we needed to do
04:01things to stop that.
04:03You can't be conceding three goals every game and expect to win every week.
04:08So yeah, I mean, huge round of applause to them.
04:12The three points just about keeps alive Newcastle United's chances of promotion from the Women's
04:16Championship, although it still remains unlikely.
04:20For Sunderland, they are set for another season in the division following a day where, despite
04:24solid defensive work, they did not threaten enough going forward, and ultimately succumbed
04:30to a goal that they will be disappointed to concede.
04:34Their supporters will travel home dejected, but for those in black and white, the celebrations
04:39just keep going.