Newcastle United Women v Portsmouth Women – Sunday 25th February 2024
FA Women’s National League Cup semi-final day had arrived as Pompey Women made the arduous 339 mile journey to face Newcastle United Women.
Like Pompey, the hosts are top of their 3rd flight regional equivalent (National League North), although the Magpies are professional and had the small matter of home advantage.
Newcastle Women normally play at Kingston Park Stadium along with Newcastle Falcons (Rugby Union) and Newcastle Thunder (Rugby League), but owing to its 10,200 capacity, the Magpies switched this match to their revered St James’ Park to accommodate their expected bumper crowd.
In this competition last season, Pompey Women reached the semi-finals but were hammered 5-0 away to eventual winners Nottingham Forest Women. Whilst Newcastle United Women were knocked out at home by neighbours Durham Cestria on penalties in the preliminary round.
As someone who thoroughly enjoyed my two previous visits to St James’ Park watching Pompey men in our first two seasons in the Premier League in the noughties, it was an occasion not to be missed with the incredibly good value of just £5 a ticket. Plus, it was the first time Ajit (my wife) was visiting the stadium, so an added excitement for her.
Travelling from Birmingham on Saturday, the sensible option was to stay overnight and ironically our hotel was in Newcastle’s arch rivals’ city Sunderland. We arrived around half 3 on Saturday afternoon and parked over by Sunderland Marina.
My mate Dave, who I’ve know from my sixth form days in Portsmouth, is now based in nearby Seaham, so this was a great opportunity to meet up with him again after many years. Blessed with some lovely winter sunshine, the three of us had a nice stroll taking in the North Sea air between the city’s two beaches (Roker and Seaburn).
There were many scenic photos of this stretch of coast to be taken, but I’ll save that for a separate football blog in its own right when Pompey men or women next play the Mackems up on Wearside.
After a great evening out in Sunderland at a lovely Italian restaurant, we found a proper hidden gem of a wine/cocktail bar, before getting up on Sunday for the 13 mile drive across to Tyneside.
Newcastle Upon Tyne is synonymous with its impressive collection of bridges on the River Tyne linking themselves with Gateshead to the south.
I remember a documentary about the late great Sir Bobby Robson where he described the view from Newcastle’s Quayside as being better than the Seine in Paris. From the following images, its hard to disagree with the England legend.
The Gateshead Millenium Bridge (for cyclists and pedestrians) is the newest and most easterly on the Tyne and tilts to allow passing boats through.
Then there is the city’s iconic Tyne Bridge
I took the photo from the High Level bridge (as pictured above) where trains go above the road and pedestrians. Facing east in the far distance is the Millenium Bridge, the Tyne Bridge in green and just in front of me is the red and white Swing bridge. I’ve often wondered what the Geordies make of its colours?
Between the High Level and Swing bridges are the atmospheric Castle Stairs – no prizes for guessing where they lead you to.
Although it makes sense that the railway line in and out of the city’s main station runs parallel to the Tyne, as pictured above, it is ironic that it runs between Newcastle Castle (left) and its keep (right).
For those who don’t know the city, St James’ Park adjoins the city centre which adds further to its appeal. There was just about time to pass through the elegant looking Grey’s Street (built around the 1830s) which is one of the city’s main streets for food and shops.
It also boasts the highly impressive Theatre Royal and Grey’s Monument (named after the Charles Grey 2nd Earl Grey), both of which are grade I listed buildings.
With 10 minutes to spare, we finally got to St James’ Park walking behind the famous Gallowgate End.
Behind that end (as per my photo collage below) are statues of three men you might just associate with Newcastle United and England. L-R: Jackie Milburn ‘Wor Jackie’, Alan Shearer (with a bar named after him underneath that stand) and Sir Bobby Robson.
Then it is round to the towering Milburn and Leazes Stands – what a sight to behold the Toon Army’s abode is.
Ordinarily, away fans have to walk up 14 flights of stairs (although a lift is also available) to level 7 at the top of the Leazes stand. But today the Pompey fans were slightly lower on level 4, unsegregated but all good natured.
The stadium has changed beyond all recognition from when I first got into football in the early 90s. The terraces were replaced with large stands at both the Leazes and the Gallowgate Ends in the mid 90s.
Then by the millennium, another tier was added on top of the adjoining Leazes and Milburn stands. This then leaves the comparatively small East Stand over on my left which when opened in the early 70s would have been their flagship new stand at the time. But as I’ll explain later, there is a good reason why this is still of the same size.
In the pre-match build up, the famous Blaydon Races was played over the PA system, then as the players walked on the pitch, the heart-warming Going Home: Theme Of The Local Hero by Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler (himself a fan of the club). With a combination of the Geordies’ sea of black and white flags and our Pompey Chimes, this was a spine tingling experience.
As Pompey kicked off, they started like a team full confidence and almost silenced the home crowd after the ball broke to Emma Jones, but their keeper Grace Donnelly came out to keep the sides level.
Newcastle came into the game and twice could have taken the lead with headers from Georgia Gibson and Charlotte Potts that were both just off target.
But the hosts piled on the pressure and Hannah Haughton was at her best to make an outstanding diving save up close to deny a header from Tyler Dodds.
In this frenetic opening 16 minutes, Pompey might have taken the lead when following a corner and two shots by Riva Casley that the Toon defence blocked, the ball fell to Daisy McLachlan but her shot through a crowded defence went over the bar.
Then just before the interval, arguably our best chance of the half arrived when Sophie Quirk controlled Casley’s long ball over to the touchline and fed in Jones who raced into the boxand cut it back to Georgie Freeland who, from just outside the box, unleashed a fizzing shot that Donnelly was at full stretch to tip over.
HT: Newcastle United Women 0-0 Pompey Women
Around 200 Pompey fans were at the stadium and were in good voice throughout and could even be heard down the other end. Plus there was the usual fine display of Pompey Women flags, including one from south east Europe.
Kicking towards the Gallowgate End in the second half, Newcastle almost took the lead a few minutes after the re-start when a fine effort by Jasmine McQuade was kept out by captain Haughton’s fingertip save and the cross bar.
But on 52 minutes, the Magpies broke the deadlock when from a Dodds corner, Potts leapt up and planted her header into the corner of the net.
Minutes later, Pompey may have drawn level when an awkward looking cross by McLachlan just eluded Jones. Shortly after, first substitution was made when Emily Pitman was brought on for fellow striker McLachlan.
Then on 64 minutes a wonderful team goal drew Pompey level.
Ava Rowbotham controlled the ball by the halfway line, then some nice attacking play between Freeland, Leeta Rutherford and a great pass by Ava Rowbotham into the box which picked out Jones who dinked it superbly over the on rushing Donnelly to equalise.
With the game all square, Pompey looked to go in front when a good cross by Quirk found Pitman, but the substitute’s header was held by Donnelly.
As the game reached the final 20 minutes, Pompey escaped two moments of danger when McQuade volleyed just wide. Then a minute later a strike by Katie Barker came crashing back off the bar. By now Newcastle were dominant, as Paige Bailey-Gayle moved into space and her shot forced a brilliant reflex save from Haughton to dive down and keep out a deflected effort off Dani Lane.
Pompey’s second substitution was made on 75 minutes as Ali Hall replaced Rowbotham. But three minutes later the woodwork came to our rescue again as Bailey-Gayle’s shot deflected on to the bar before Izzy Collins bravely got her header in to prevent Gibson heading in the rebound.
As extra time loomed, on 90 minutes Newcastle broke Pompey hearts. Emma Kelly played a fine ball over to the corner to Barker whose cross got the slightest touch off Gibson’s head and into the corner.
Despair for Pompey Women, but with seven minutes stoppage time added there was still enough time to search for another equaliser as Jay Sadler made a triple substitution (Ella Humphrey for Collins, Annie Rolf for Freeland and Ella Wild for Nicole Barrett).
We continued to press and a fine ball through the middle by Rolf almost found Jones, but Potts got there just ahead of the Pompey striker to prevent a likely match saving goal.
So in the end it was “Howay the Lasses” as the Magpies reached the final at Luton Town’s Kenilworth Road next month, ironically against Pompey’s National League South title rivals Hashtag United.
FT: Newcastle United Women 2-1 Pompey Women
Att: 22,307 (circa 200 Pompey fans)
Despite that feeling of deflation, both the players and our impressive supporters can be very proud of their efforts on the day at pushing the Magpies the full 90 minutes on their home turf as both saluted each other at full time.
As me and Ajit made our way to the exit, it was nice to see a few faces I know, including director and former Pompey Women’s chairman Eric Coleborn and Chris (now based in Newcastle). Amazingly, I first met Chris in a bar in Birmingham city centre when we famously won at Man United in the 2008 FA Cup as Chris happened to be working in Brum that week.
After existing SJP, we walked past the splendid grade I listed Georgian Leazes terrace (on right in the photo below) that runs parallel to the East Stand. In a nutshell, this explains why the stadium cannot be expanded on this side as I mentioned earlier.
After walking back through the city centre, we passed Newcastle Cathedral (adjacent to the castle on St Nicholas’ Street).
Then there was still time to photograph the other bridges as the sun started setting on the Tyne.
Well no trip to this part of the world would be complete without visiting the famous ‘Angel Of The North’ statue just east of the A1 at Lamesely, Gateshead. So just before me & Ajit made the comparatively mere 206 mile drive back to the second city, there was enough daylight to detour there en route to crown off (cup exit aside) a fabulous weekend in the North East.
Next up for Pompey Women is a trip to 7th placed Cardiff City Ladies at the Newport Stadium on Sunday in the league where our entire focus is back on our title/promotion quest. Currently, we are six points clear of Hashtag United at the top with seven games to go, but with a goal difference a colossal 40 better than the Essex side. PUPW PWPU.
Extended highlights: Newcastle United Women 2 Portsmouth Women 1
PompeyNewsNow 
Great write up, very pleased you had a great weekend up here, hopefully see you guys in the next tier up next season 🙂 Howay the Lasses!
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