Newcastle United Women’s team Manager Tanya Oxtoby was confident heading into her side’s first away game of the season and spoke about the need for continual improvement during her pre-game press conference:
“We’re a different team (to last season), we’re looking forward and everything is about what we’re trying to do this season and what we can control” she said.
Tanya Oxtoby adding: “All due respect to Bristol City, but it’s about us and what we’re going to be looking to do and challenging ourselves in certain areas. We’ve got a group who are hungry to improve and we’re excited for the weekend because it’s going to be a good challenge to help us continue to grow.”
She also spoke of the importance that the travelling Toon Army play in supporting the Lasses:
“They play a massive role. I think we’ve got the best fans in the league; there is no doubt about that. Whether there are 10 of them or 1000, they’re always very loud, so we’ll be expecting nothing less on Saturday to be able to hear them, and we’ll give them some entertaining football as well.”
Tanya Oxtoby (pictured below) made one change from the Wolves game, with Katie Bradley coming into the midfield for Lois Joel. While both Jordan Nobbs and Freya Gregory were again missing with no comment as to why they were unavailable.
Another absentee is Jessie Gale as she continues to represent England at the U20 Women’s World Cup. The forward, on a season long loan from Arsenal, helped her side qualify for the knockout stages of the competition. The Round of 16 game is scheduled to take place this coming Thursday. Gale scored against Tanzania as part of a 5-1 group game win.
Match Report
The Newcastle United Women’s team ground out an impressive win at Ashton Gate on Saturday evening as they made it two wins from two to start the 2026-27 WSL 2 campaign.
Taking on a tough Bristol City side that had beaten the Lasses three times in 18 months at their place was never going to be easy but at the same time United never looked like conceding.
Lining up with what was a 4-4-2 formation to match their hosts, it meant Mollie Lambert playing out wide down the left with Kathleen McGovern and Martha Thomas playing as a front pairing.
The Lasses looked to get an early breakthrough after Katie Bradley played a short corner routine to Beth Lumsden, who in turn sent an inch perfect ball into the box with the outside of her foot, picking out Kathleen McGovern, who headed wide.
Most of the play was coming down their right hand side, with Beth Lumsden driving forward at every given opportunity. She had the best chance of a tight first half when she collected the ball out wide, went to drive to the byline, before cutting inside and stabbing a good effort just inches wide of the post.
Much of the session was littered with fouls meaning a stop start nature denied either side from gaining too much momentum.
However, the home side did carve out a couple of chances. Katie Robinson’s cross to the back post nearly found Maria Farrugia, with the Maltese international just inches away from tapping home. Before the latter saw her next effort on target, but easily claimed by Anna Tamminen, who once again looked a composed presence in goal throughout.
The second half was marginally better, with the home side growing into the game. Lotta Lindstrom going close for the Robins when cutting in off the left flank before her attempt sailed wide.
Perhaps that proved a wake up call to the Lady Mags who began pressing well from midfield. They forced a turnover soon after which saw forward Martha Thomas exchange passes with Katie Bradley before shooting from distance. Her effort came back off the foot of the post and straight to McGovern who was all alone in the area to have the simplest of tasks to tap home into an empty net. It was the striker’s first competitive goal for the club.
That goal opened the game up somewhat after that. Newcastle looking for an insurance marker to make it safe. A quick free kick saw defender Jemma Purfield slip the ball into Katie Bradley’s feet, but her attempted cross was blocked. The ball did land perfectly for Lumsden though who drove to the box and forced a strong save from home goalie Lauren Brzykcy.
City’s best attempt at a response came through skipper Emily Syme, who flashed an effort on goal from outside the area which Tamminen was equal to.
It really should have been 2-0 to the visitors with 12 minutes to go. Some confusion within the Robins back line saw the ball gifted to Lumsden, who picked out McGovern with a perfect pass to play her in one-on-one. However, the Scottish international fired just wide of the post when it looked easier to score.
A failure to take chances is always something teams will worry about coming back to hurt them, and that was so nearly the case, when deep into stoppage time a controversial throw-in was awarded in the Robins favour. That in turn led to a scramble in the box with defender Gemma Lawley finding herself in an advanced position, collecting the ball and shooting home on the turn. However, she was easily a yard offside and the linesman’s flag soon confirmed as such.
Newcastle United: Anna Tamminen, Rachel McLauchlan (c), Aoife Mannion, Jemma Purfield, Kaitlyn Torpey, Beth Lumsden, Hildur Antonsdóttir (Lois Joel 64), Katie Bradley (Leanne Kiernan 89), Mollie Lambert (Gemma Evans 89), Kathleen McGovern (Oona Sevenius 80), Martha Thomas.
Subs not used: Kayla Rendell, Charlotte Wardlaw, Demi Stokes, Emilia Larsson, Hanna Németh
Bristol City: Lauren Brzykcy, Alexia Apostolakis (Ella Powell 83), Brooke Aspin, Gemma Lawley, Signe Markvardsen, Katie Robinson (Malaika Meena 67), Emily Syme, Sophie Ingle (Isabel Hebard 74), Maria Farrugia (Oliwia Wos 83), Lotta Lindstrom, Rio Hardy (Emma Bissell 83).
Subs not used: Fran Bentley (GK), Hope McSheffrey, Esther Morgan.
Credit: Wor Flags
Where that leaves the Newcastle United Women’s team
Two games and two victories without even getting out of second gear, sees the Lasses remain joint top of the WSL 2 table with a maximum of six points. It’s a lead shared with Sunderland and Leicester City although they are placed in third on goal difference.
There is only one automatic promotion spot up for grabs this year. With the second placed side going into a relegation/promotion playoff with the team finishing second bottom in WSL 1.
What’s coming up
Newcastle have a pair of home games next. Sheffield United visit Gateshead International Stadium on Sunday 20th September. With Leicester City visiting the following week.
The Blades have frustrated United over the past couple of seasons with the last three meetings all ending in a draw. The Steel City side though have lost both games so far this season.