Last weekend saw me have an unusual vantage point, from the tunnel of the Stadium of Light, where Sunderland welcomed league leaders Birmingham in front of a good, noisy, crowd and the live TV cameras.
The visitors started quickly; an early goal from South Korean international Lee Guim-Min was enough to give them the points.
That goal was overshadowed by an unfortunate clash of heads, leading to Sunderland’s Jesse Stapleton leaving the field for concussion, then an accidental collision between top scorer Eleanor Dale and the Blue’s keeper Lucy Thomas, causing both to be substituted.
It seemed everything was against the home side, having lost Katie Kitching earlier in the day due to illness. All things considered, Sunderland recovered and battled well but chances were at a premium. It turned into their first loss in eight league matches and helped the league become less congested at the Top.
Newcastle travelled to Southampton and left it very late to earn a point; so late it probably made their long journey home more bearable and the team feeling they’d won!
A 94th minute equaliser by Amy Andrews completed an excellent fightback, after their hosts took a 2-0 lead within the first 18 minutes. Shania Hayles pulled one back just after the hour mark, before Andrews struck the ball with such power that former Saint and Toon hero Alan Shearer would have been proud to have done the same!
Durham made the shorter journey to Bramall Lane, taking the lead through an ‘Olympico’ from Michaela Foster. I had to look the term up before watching the highlights later that night. It is described as ‘a goal scored directly from a corner without touching an opponent’ and as originally used in 1924 when an Argentine player scored against the Olympic champions, Uruguay – a ‘Gol Olimpico’ – a feat which is rarely replicated.
The hosts equalised through Foster’s fellow New Zealand international, Jacqui Hand, her header looping over Rylee Foster. Both sides had chances to win it but left with a point each.
The chase for promotion is still on for all our clubs. Durham lie in fourth, three points off Birmingham at the top while Newcastle are six points away in seventh, one point behind Sunderland but having played a game less. It sets up some great derbies next month but there is one matchday, an international break and this weekend’s FA Cup before that.
Sunderland visit Portsmouth (Sunday, 2pm), a team that came up to Wearside and matched them with a 2-2 draw in December. It is a banana skin they don’t want to slip on. Pompey have yet to win a league game since their promotion this season but have been improving in recent weeks and beat fellow strugglers Blackburn in the last round. Mel Reay will look to pick her side up, hope for better luck with injuries this weekend, and progress.
Newcastle travel down to WSL’s Crystal Palace (Sunday, 1pm), a team adjusting to the top level having gained promotion last season. Although they may not have played each other at this level, at least, they are no strangers. Amber-Keegan Stobbs spent a season or so (Covid affected) at Palace, it also being the local club to where she grew up, while Lia Cataldo was part of the Championship winning side and Issy Sibley is up here on-loan from the Eagles. And that’s without mentioning Poppy Pritchard, on-loan from Manchester City, who spent the first half of the season wearing red and blue.
Having watched plenty of both teams this season, I know it will be a tough test but a good way of judging Newcastle’s progress. For me, it is the tie of the round!
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/newcastle-united-progress-can-judged-30953284
