Newcastle United Women have made an excellent start to this season in Women’s Super League 2, currently sitting three points clear at the top of the table, but Sunday’s trip to the Stadium of Light presents perhaps their biggest test yet.
Tanya Oxtoby’s side travel to face Sunderland Women, who have almost matched them step for step so far, in a tasty top of the table Wear-Tyne derby. But, as shown by the table, there is much more than merely local bragging rights at stake.
Both clubs have their sights firmly set on promotion, and Newcastle have the opportunity to put some real daylight between themselves and one of their closest competitors.
A victory would move the Magpies six points clear of Sunderland, handing them a significant advantage this early in the campaign. It would, of course, be naive to describe the encounter as a season-defining fixture at this stage, but there is no denying the importance of making a statement against a direct promotion and fierce local rival.
Newcastle have plenty of reasons to be confident
The numbers behind Newcastle’s start to the season make for impressive reading. They have scored 19 goals in seven league matches, while conceding just three at the other end.
That Lasses’ balance has been a particular point of positivity, with their ability to keep clean sheets whilst maintaining serious attacking threat setting them apart from the rest of the division. Their most recent league outing saw them dispatch Burnley 3-0 at St James’ Park, with Kathleen McGovern, an own goal and Martha Thomas getting them over the line.
The goals have been shared nicely, with dangerous players littered throughout the squad and all contributing. That variety could prove valuable against a Sunderland side who will be well aware of the threat posed by the visitors.
The Magpies have also had a full week to prepare for Sunday’s encounter, unlike their opponents, who were in Subway Players Cup action against Birmingham in midweek. That could offer Newcastle a small advantage in terms of freshness, which could be especially important in a fixture that is notorious for high intensity.
Oxtoby has certainly been keen to embrace the occasion, describing the fixture as a challenge her players should welcome.
The Newcastle boss has spoken about ensuring her side don’t sacrifice their principles and stick to their identity despite the size of the occasion.
Sunderland have already shown they can hurt Newcastle
For all the optimism surrounding Newcastle’s start, Sunderland will be brimming with their own dose of confidence.
Melanie Reay’s side have collected 16 points from their opening seven league games, scoring 16 goals in the process. They also head into the derby on the back of a convincing 4-1 derby victory over Durham, having demonstrated that they possess plenty of attacking quality of their own.
The Magpies’ defensive record has been outstanding, but Sunderland have shown their own attacking prowess and, for all of Newcastle’s scoring, their North-East rivals have only scored three less this season.
There is also a recent result that Newcastle will be desperate to put right.
Sunderland claimed a 1-0 victory when the sides met in the Subway Players Cup last month, with Katie Kitching scoring the only goal of the game at Gateshead International Stadium.
That was (and still is) Newcastle’s only defeat to their local rivals since their promotion to the second tier, and will undoubtedly give the Black Cats belief that they can repeat the trick and go joint top of the league.
A chance to make a statement
There is a long way to go in the WSL2 season, and neither side’s promotion ambitions will be decided on Sunday afternoon. Nevertheless, both sides will be desperate to set out their stall as not only the dominant force in the North-East, but as the most feared side in the division.
Newcastle have been the standout side during the opening weeks, but facing their closest challengers away from home is a different proposition to dispatching teams further down the table.
The challenge for Oxtoby’s players is to take their impressive league form onto one of the biggest stages available to them, without allowing the occasion to become a distraction.
The Magpies have already given their supporters plenty of reasons to believe this could be a special season. Now, they have an opportunity to send out another message to the rest of the chasing pack.
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