Newcastle United Women 1 London City Lionesses 2 | OneFootball

United found themselves behind after just three minutes when Isobel Goodwin fired home from inside the area, but struck back just after the half-hour mark.

Beth Lumsden was picked out well by Emily Murphy and dispatched above Emily Orman. But in first-half stoppage time Sofia Jakobsson curled home from a tight angle, with that goal proving to be decisive.

The Lasses almost got off to the perfect start in the North East sunshine when Murphy drove at the London City defence before slipping in Shania Hayles, but the Jamaica international's strike was straight at Emily Orman.

However, United's momentum didn't last long, with Jakobsson bringing a long ball down in the area and laying off to Goodwin whose first-time strike curled away from Claudia Moan and into the far corner.

Only three minutes later, the visitors almost doubled their lead through Jakobsson who ran at Demi Stokes and cut inside onto her left foot in the box, but her effort lacked curl and went wide of Moan's far post.

It was a non-stop start to the game, and after nine minutes United went close. A recycled ball into the box from Rachel Furness found Lumsden, and despite catching the ball on the volley, Orman got down well to push the ball behind her near post.

As both teams began to settle and cancel each other out, a clever ball down the left from Jasmine McQuade released Stokes, who picked out Lumsden unmarked on the penalty spot, but United's number 26 couldn't connect with the ball.

As the game ticked over the half-hour mark, Newcastle got themselves back level after a composed Lumsden finish.

Hayles stole the ball in London City's defensive third and let Murphy push forward, and after attracting two defenders towards her, she unselfishly slipped in Lumsden who composed herself before firing above the on-rushing Orman.

The visiting side came back roaring back just three minutes later when a blocked Lia Cataldo clearance fell straight to Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah, but despite having the freedom of Newcastle's penalty area, she scuffed her shot well wide.

United continued to be the side looking most likely to take the lead and after venturing forward unmarked, Murphy cut the ball back to Stokes, whose looping effort, seemingly destined for the far corner, was well grabbed by Orman.

However, with just a minute of the first half left to play, Jakobsson stood up Cataldo in the box before cutting inside and finishing from an acute angle.

The second half was a much more tightly-contested affair with both sides showing glimpses of quality, but neither keeper was truly tested, with the most notable save coming from Orman who got down well to save Lumsden's free kick.

Murphy, who was a thorn in the London City defence all game, broke from midfield and with space opening for her, she let fly from the edge of the area but failed to test Orman who saw it sail over the crossbar.

While Newcastle struggled to break down a stern London City backline, Lumsden thought she'd snatched a late point when her fizzing free-kick cannoned back out off the bar in the 95th minute.

Newcastle United Women: Claudia Moan, Lia Cataldo, Charlotte Wardlaw, Deanna Cooper, Demi Stokes, Rachel Furness (Freya Gregory 65), Amber-Keegan Stobbs (c), Jasmine McQuade, Beth Lumsden, Shania Hayles (Lois Joel 71), Emily Murphy

Subs not used: Hannah Hawkins, Grace Donnelly, Liv Watt, Katie Barker, Hannah Greenwood, Amy Andrews, Isabella Sibley