Ahead of this latest match, Newcastle United Women’s team saw a further eight players called up by their respective countries for next week’s international break.
Those eight being Oona Sevenius and Anna Tamminen (Finland), Gemma Evans, Casi Gregson and Lois Joel (Wales), Leanne Kiernan and Aoife Mannion (Ireland) and Hanna Nemeth (Hungary). That take’s Newcastle’s tally to 15 on international duty.
The Newcastle United Women’s team playing away to Aston Villa in the League Cup.
Tanya Oxtoby made nine changes from Sunday’s 4-0 win against Leicester City, with Gemma Evans, Hanna Németh and Kayla Rendell making their full debuts. Then in the second half, there were professional bows for PGA (Professional Game Academy) graduates Casi Gregson and Abbie Richardson.
The League Cup represents the opportunity to give players who have not been able to post many minutes so far during the league campaign a much needed run out.
The competition has undergone something of a revamp over the summer and has adopted a format similar to that of the men’s Champions League, whereby each team is drawn against six different sides, playing three of them at home and three away.
The hosts for the opening League Cup game were Aston Villa, a side currently residing in the top flight but having made a difficult start to the season. Interim head coach Brian Sørensen made seven changes to the side that fell to defeat at Tottenham in WSL1 last weekend, with Goalkeeper Emily Ramsey and forward Georgia Mullett handed first starts of the campaign.
Credit: Wor Flags
Match Report
Newcastle have tasted defeat for the first time this season when losing 3-1 against Aston Villa in the Subway Players Cup at Keys Park, Hednesford.
A feisty start saw both teams look to assert themselves, with United dominating possession but Villa taking an early lead inside the first ten minutes. Villa’s summer signing Lily Murphy capped a fine team move, after impressive work down the left from Rachel Maltby to get inside Charlotte Wardlaw and then an excellent backheel from Georgia Mullett.
Soon after, Mullett almost turned scorer as she latched onto a low cross from fellow academy graduate Rachel Maltby, but her flicked finish was deflected wide of the target.
Villa continued to look dangerous when pressing the Lasses but also were vulnerable to the visitors’ counter attack. That was evident when a forced turnover allowed Oona Sevenius to advance rapidly down the left at pace. Although Jordan Nobbs was eased off the ball as the cross came in, it did land to Leanne Kiernan who was able to return the cross into the box for the Finnish forward, to dig the ball out from under her feet and fire into the bottom corner.
Newcastle grew in confidence and could have gone ahead when former Villa player Freya Gregory charged into the box unmarked, before picking out Jordan Nobbs. Another to have turned out for Villa, Nobbs saw her volley fizz over the bar after the ball arrived at her at a difficult height.
Villa then resumed their positive play, going close to retaking the lead themselves before the interval. Murphy scuffing her shot wide of the bottom corner having escaped the attentions of the lasses’ defence. Before midfielder Miri Taylor took aim from distance but skewed her shot wide of the target.
Villa started the second half with urgency. A spell of intense pressure presented Mia McAulay to try her luck from 30 yards, with her audacious effort drifting onto the roof of the net. Murphy went close once more, breaking into the penalty area only to be thwarted by the legs of United goalie Kayla Rendell.
Rendell came to Newcastle’s rescue again soon after, denying Georgia Mullett from the edge of the area with a smart low save. Villa continued to apply pressure, with substitute Lynn Wilms making an immediate impact, as she flashed a teasing low cross through the six yard box. However, fellow substitute Amalie Vangsgaard was unable to apply the finishing touch.
But having held on for 84 minutes, United conceded twice late on. A loose ball broke to Lucia Kendall on the edge of the box and the England international was able to advance before calmly finding the top left corner with Rendell powerless to stop it.
Vansgaard looked to make the points safe for the hosts soon after but she steered Chastity Grant’s cutback straight into Rendell’s gloves from the edge of the area. However Villa did add to their lead in stoppage time when Kendall grabbed her second, smashing home from inside the six yard box after Grant crashed an effort off the post from a deep cross.
Newcastle United: Kayla Rendell, Charlotte Wardlaw (Lia Cataldo 64), Gemma Evans, Hanna Németh, Freya Gregory, Lois Joel (Abbie Richardson 87), Jordan Nobbs (c) (Demi Stokes 64), Mollie Lambert (Katie Bradley 64), Oona Sevenius, Jessie Gale (Casi Gregson 64), Leanne Kiernan.
Subs not used: Anna Tamminen, Jemma Purfield, Hildur Antonsdóttir, Aoife Mannion
Aston Villa: Emily Ramsey, Anna Patten (Lynn Wilms 60), Justine Kielland, Mathilde Harviken, Oceane Deslandes, Mia McAulay, Lily Murphy (Chasity Grant 60), Miri Taylor, Rachel Maltby (Katie Scott 73), Maya Hijikata (Lucia Kendall 60), Georgia Mullett (Amalie Vangsgaard 69).
Subs not used: Noelle Maritz, Akane Okuma, Soffia Kelly
Where that leaves the Newcastle United Women’s team
A decent performance from a much changed side against top tier opposition is something to be pleased with. The League Cup is a competition that Newcastle realistically won’t win but it does allow chances to test themselves against some of the top sides in the country.
There is a trip to Goodison Park to face Everton later in the competition, along with a home tie with Manchester United. Of the WSL2 sides, the Lasses host Sunderland and Nottingham Forest, while heading to South Shields to play Durham.
Photo by The Mag
What’s coming up
Newcastle return to the important and only really important stuff, league action on Sunday as they look to continue their promotion charge with only the team that finishes top of the table guaranteed to move into the Super League.
United have made a perfect start to the league season that lasts 22 matches, winning all four games so far and top of the table on 12 points.
Women's Super League WSL2 Table 2026/27 - 27 September 2026
| Pos | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newcastle United | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 10 | 12 |
| 2 | Sunderland | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 8 |
| 4 | Southampton | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| 6 | Nottingham Forest | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| 7 | Leicester City | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 6 |
| 8 | Bristol City | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| 9 | Sheffield United | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | -3 | 3 |
| 10 | Burnley | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 2 |
| 11 | Watford | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 2 |
| 12 | Durham | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 13 | -8 | 0 |
This Sunday they make the short journey down the A1 to Maiden Castle to face a Durham side they have never beaten. Losing three of their previous meetings with them.
After that we head into the first international break of the season. The Lasses are next at home again when they host Sunderland in the league cup at Gateshead International Stadium on Sunday 18th October.