Howay the Lasses - NUWFC 6-0 Blackburn Rovers
Mark Stutt reports from Kingston Park on a brilliant resultfor the Lasses
Barclays Women’s Championship 13/4/25
NUWFC 6 - 0 BRWFC (HT 3 - 0)
Venue: Kingston Park
Att: 2,064*
PoTM: Furness**
I was really pleased to get back to Kingston Park after missing the LCL match (anyone else think of LCL and conjure up visions of shabby CIU clubs, no, just me then…). Anyhow, yes back to KP and a match against Blackburn Rovers. This, bizarrely, due to the fixture being postponed in December because of FA Cup clashes, was the first time we faced Blackburn this season and in three weeks we play them again, away.
Before kick-off Blackburn were languishing in 9th place on 11 points (P16 W3 D2 L11) and are only being kept from bottom spot by the worse form of Portsmouth and Sheffield United, although they had picked up four points from their last two games.
Blackburn Rovers women’s team were formed in 1991 and spent many years in the top tier of women’s football - the Women’s Premier League National Division (forerunner of the WSL) and were the major force in women’s football in Lancashire (with neither of the Manchester teams operating at this level). However, relegation to Tier 2 and Tier 3 followed (we played against them in Tier 3 from 2012-2017). They gained promotion back to Tier 2 in 2018-19 and have been at this level ever since. Managed by Simon Parker they play their home games at Ewood Park.
So, this was the Lasses’ penultimate match of the season, Birmingham being the last game at KP. They lined up as follows – Moan in goal; Cataldo, Wardlaw, Cooper and Stokes (C) in defence; Furness and McQuade anchoring midfield with Lumsden, Gregory and Murphy supporting Hayles up front. Liv Watt was in the squad after a long lay-off with an injury, and Chapman was again given a promotion from the Devs/U21s. The Devs have topped their league (Reserve Northern Premier) following a 2-0 win. Boddy was warming up pre-match, but wasn’t named in the squad. Stobbs wasn’t in the squad either, so Stokes took the captaincy and Furness the defensive midfield position she’s commanded since the Durham away game.
From the kick-off the Lasses were on the front foot and looked determined to avenge the unwarranted defeat to LCL. The difference in that match was an inability to take their chances, which proved costly. This time their intent was clear and after just 10 minutes top scorer Hayles, fed by Murphy after some neat footwork took out two defenders, slid the ball home for her 11th of the season. The Lasses’ passing and pressing were causing Rovers all sorts of problems and both wingers and the forwards were looking lively.
Rachel ‘Hard as nails’ Furness was taking pleasure in breaking up Rovers’ attacks and on the 16th minute she nearly scored, heading just wide from Gregory’s corner. Murphy was dropping deep and recycling the ball to both wings or up to Hayles. She must be a nightmare to play against as she never stops.
Gregory made her own first goal for the Lasses, bursting into the box, and despite seeing her first shot well saved, she followed on as Rovers couldn’t get the ball clear and her volley was not going to be stopped. Two minutes later, the game was all but over as Lumsden (who did put the goal in the Mackems’ net? – well alright Hayles did as well…) got her seventh for the season as Furness laid the ball on for her to volley it into the roof of the net.
The half-time whistle couldn’t come quickly enough for Blackburn and the score-line was an accurate account of the Lasses’ dominance. Moan had nothing to do all half and Blackburn’s ball over the top was being comfortably dealt with by Wardlaw and Cooper, which was positive as that has caught the Lasses out in previous games. The Lasses were being noticeably more physical, something that was lacking at the start of the season. The front line of Hayles, Gregory and Lumsden were, as the song goes, ‘terrifying’ their defence and Murphy, as mentioned, was everywhere buzzing along the attack line harrying and carrying to great effect.
The second half was only four minutes old when Newcastle’s fourth arrived courtesy of Murphy - a powerful header from a Lumsden cross nestling in the far corner of the net. Rovers’ keeper hadn’t been close to saving this one and our keeper must have been pleased to finally make a save in the 51st minute to earn her wages, so easy had the game been for her up to that point.
Furness oh so nearly got a reward for her barnstorming run into the box on 57 minutes, but it didn’t pan out the way we all wanted. Newcastle were attacking at will and comfortably dealing with anything Rovers tried to make the score-line less emphatic.
With the game over bar the final whistle, Becky Langley decided to throw on some subs – Joel for McQuade, Watt for Wardlaw (great to see Liv back on the pitch) on 58’ and Sibley for Lumsden and Andrews for Gregory on 75’. The Lasses’ game had struggled a bit to match the free-flowing style following the subs, but on 76’ Sibley took an inch perfect cross from the wing from fellow sub Andrews and tapped in her first goal at KP. Two minutes later Andrews almost assisted another goal, but Hayles put her shot over the bar.
The final sub for the Lasses brought crowd favourite Katy Barker on for Hayles and KB took up the forward’s role, which she hasn’t played all season, being used on the wing when she’s picked. The crowd were willing her to score her first of the season, and she nearly did in extra time, but the ball just slipped behind her when she was inside the six-yard box. Just prior to this, super sub Sibley got her second, firing home at the second attempt as her first shot was parried.
The final whistle went on a deserved, goal difference boosting victory with a Mexican Wave being attempted in the stand. All season we’ve threatened to give some team a proper ‘howking’ and today was the day. Rovers were not ‘pretty in pink’ (I was really hoping we’d batter them, so I could use this quip reflecting their change kit colours – sad I know) and the Lasses comfortably dealt with them, bagging three points, still in sixth place, however five points clear of the Mackems with a game in hand.
Next match for the Lasses is away at third placed Charlton; will revenge be in the air? I hope so as that draw at home really annoyed me. I’m not at that game, so the next report from yours truly will be of the final game at home to second placed Birmingham.
Until then and as ever - Howay the Lasses!
Mark Stutt
* The attendance today was definitely affected by the men’s game kicking off half an hour after the final whistle at KP, with many fans being season ticket holders for both teams.
** Furness gets the PoTM award, not only for being ‘hard as nails’, but for never allowing Blackburn’s attacks to develop, breaking up their play and providing assists as well. I’d have given her the captaincy for this match and until the end of the season in Stobbs’ absence as well. Mention in dispatches to Murphy, Cataldo and Lumsden.