Newcastle 1 Liverpool 6 – Newcastle United Women’s team exit League Cup | OneFootball

Newcastle United Women’s team suffered a 6-1 defeat at home to top flight side Liverpool in the League Cup on Sunday.

A crowd of 3,013 at Kingston Park saw Becky Langley make several changes to her starting eleven and give much needed game time to several players who haven’t seen much action lately.

While for the likes of midfielder Emma Kelly, who was coming back from injury, it meant she got some serious minutes under her belt as she works her way back for a regular starting berth. The squad also saw two development players; Ava Chapman and Ella Baker, included.

Liverpool were backed by a sizeable away following, helped by the club laying on free transport to the game. Three coaches worth of away fans were in the far end of the West Stand and made themselves heard as well. At times they were louder than the home fans, possibly helped by the early Liverpool goals which subdued the Toon Army.

Wor Flags provided some excellent banners to get the crowd involved with the PA announcer getting the younger fans to wave their scarves, local musician Joe Lindsell using a loudspeaker to start chants going.

Liverpool are currently 6th in the top division and they had rested several of their best players too. However, it was the Women’s Super League side who made a fast start.

Goalie Hannah Hawkins was forced into an excellent save inside the first 30 seconds. Liverpool’s Olivia Smith battled through a series of challenges in the box and was able to pull the ball back from the byline to Zara Shaw whose shot was saved before Hawkins denied Mia Enderby from close-range.

The visitors did have the ball in the back of the net on 4 minutes. Again Smith was involved, this time showing strength to keep hold of possession and spreading it right to Grace Fisk. The defender’s low cross was deftly converted by a Cornelia Kapocs backheel but she was offside.

Smith was denied by Hannah Greenwood soon after, before Liverpool’s early pressure told. Zara Shaw opened the scoring in stunning fashion, the 17-year-old collecting Fuka Nagano’s pass 25 yards out, lining up an effort and curling it high into the top left corner for her first senior goal.

Moments later, it was two. Breaking away, Kapocs timed a perfectly threaded pass near the halfway line to send Enderby clean through. She made no mistake with a low side-footer beyond Hawkins.

It was all Liverpool, although Newcastle did create a couple of chances midway through the half. Katie Barker picked out Isabella Sibley in a crowded penalty area although her header under pressure lacked enough power to trouble Teagan Micah in the Reds goal.

United forward Amy Andrews also had a couple of chances but it was telling that even her blistering pace wasn’t quick enough to evade a fast Liverpool defence. Twice Gemma Evans did well to recover from giving her opponent a head start to make an excellent challenge. While from a corner, Demi Stokes could only find the side netting.

Liverpool soon reasserted their dominance. With Canadian winger, Smith making it 3-0, after a cool finish from close range after she was set up by Swedish forward Kapocs. In stoppage time Kapocs volleyed home from Enderby’s delightful cross as Liverpool caught Newcastle on the break.

Liverpool had simply blown Newcastle away and could have had more. Japanese midfielder Fuka Nagano showed a great range of passing while Austrian Marie Hobinger curled a good effort from the right wing just wide of the target.

With the game essentially over, Liverpool made four changes at half time. With impressive left back Taylor Hinds, being one such arrival. Newcastle made changes too but they were forced upon them, with Sophie Haywood having to leave the pitch half an hour in and Liv Watt a couple of minutes after the restart, as both had taken knocks.

Liverpool scored again ten minutes into the half when Newcastle were unable to clear their lines. Substitute striker Leanne Kiernan’s initial shot was blocked at the edge of the box, before Enderby pounced with a clinical low finish inside the right post.

It could have been six when another half time substitute, Ceri Holland made a great run and broke into the area before cutting back for Kiernan, but the striker blazed over.

The introduction of Jas McQuade gave Newcastle a lift, with a few inventive passes into the box which split the Liverpool defence. But Gemma Bonner and Yana Daniels were strong and even executed some tactical fouling, knowing when to prevent a Newcastle break out before it had really got going.

Newcastle were desperate for a goal. Georgia Gibson dragged a chance wide, on what was her 101st appearance for the club. Before Amy Andrews spun past Hannah Silcock and held off a Hinds challenge before Daniels got back to clear her effort off the line.

However, the Birmingham-born striker did pull one pack on 88 minutes after a deep free kick was only half cleared by Silcock and she was able to rifle home a ferocious shot into the net.

Liverpool had the final word though when Leanne Kiernan volleyed home in stoppage time from a brilliant pass by Zara Shaw.

The result means Newcastle’s final group game away to Manchester United is now meaningless. While some fans may have felt the Lady Mags had a chance of progressing, coming up against top 8 sides such as Everton and Liverpool was always going to be tough. The experience gained though is far more beneficial to the long-term ambitions of the club.

Newcastle United Women:

Hannah Hawkins, Lois Joel, Hannah Greenwood, Liv Watt (Jasmine McQuade 48), Demi Stokes, Elysia Boddy (Shania Hayles 64), Emma Kelly (Kacie Elson 63), Sophie Haywood (Amber-Keegan Stobbs 33), Katie Barker, Isabella Sibley (Georgia Gibson 63), Amy Andrews

Subs not used: Grace Donnelly, Claudia Moan, Ava Chapman, Ella Baker

Teagan Micah, Grace Fisk (Taylor Hinds, 46), Niamh Fahey (Gemma Bonner, 65), Gemma Evans (Hannah Silcock, 46), Yana Daniels, Fuka Nagano, Zara Shaw, Marie Höbinger (Ceri Holland, 46), Mia Enderby, Olivia Smith (Leanne Kiernan, 46), Cornelia Kapocs.