Irish eyes were smiling as Emily Murphy netted twice to beat the Wearsiders
16:10, 16 Nov 2025Updated 19:40, 16 Nov 2025
Newcastle United beat Sunderland 3-1 in the Women’s Super League 2
Newcastle United women ran out 3-1 winners to clinch an enthralling Tyne-Wear derby day victory at St James Park.
It took a while to warm up after a goalless first half, but the match exploded into life as Elenor Dale missed a penalty for Sunderland before Emily Murphy’s double helped seal a superb victory in front of impressed Toon chiefs. A crowd of 18,972 were in fine voice as the game lived up to its pre-match billing.
The Lasses went into this clash in mixed form and just off the pace in terms of the promotion race in Barclays Women’s Super League 2. But while the crowd was half the size of the corresponding fixture last term, few at St James’ Park needed reminding that local pride came before anything on derby day.
Sunderland won the toss and elected to turn Newcastle around with the Magpies shooting towards the Gallowgate End with the slope first half. After splashing out over the summer – and signing former England star Jordan Nobbs – the powers that be decided for a change in the dugout with Becky Langley departing and replaced by former Durham coach Claire Ditchburn.
It’s understood that there were fears that the current season was playing out in a similar manner to last term with the owners keen to get the club into the Super League and competing at the very top. Sporting director Ross Wilson, finance chief Simon Capper and the club’s head of football strategy Jack Ross were all in attendance.
The game started in cautious fashion with a shot from Nobbs going wide at Gallowgate on eight minutes. Beth Lumsden forced a corner on 21 minutes with Nobbs playing it short with Demi Stokes, only for the move to break down.
READ MORE: Newcastle United Women 3-1 Sunderland Women: Player ratings as Magpies take bragging rights
OPINION
Lee Ryder
Like any derby ding dong, it hadn’t taken long to turn into a scrap with neither side willing to give an inch. On 25 minutes the tackling became more intense with Emily Scarr and Charlotte Wardlaw getting into a scrape before Molly Pike was upended out wide moments later.
Natasha Fenton was the first player to be booked for a brutal foul on Nobbs on the half-hour mark. Lumsden pumped the free-kick in, but Sunderland cleared their lines before a scramble followed, then Pike fired over the bar.
The two sides went level at the break, but the second period started in a similar vein to the way the first half ended. Mary Corbyn was booked for a challenge on Lumsden to keep up the whole-hearted tone of the game.
On 53 minutes, Aoife Mannion handballed in the box with the referee pointing straight to the spot at Gallowgate. But after Dale tried to tuck it low to the left, Finland international Anna Tamminen guessed the right way and made a fine stop to deny her.
Just after the hour mark, Nobbs played Lumsden down the left, and she won a corner at the Leazes End. Nobbs swung the ball into a congested box and it was Deanna Cooper who forced it over the line to open the scoring.
It could have been a second when substitute Emily Murphy got free on the right on 63 minutes, with Grace Moloney making a key save. But Newcastle fans would not have to wait much longer for another goal to warm up the crowd on a chilly November afternoon.
Lumsden’s corner was not met convincingly by Moloney, and substitute Murphy lashed home to make it 2-0 on 65 minutes. Sunderland refused to crumble though and pulled a goal back.
Another scramble in the box on 68 minutes resulted in Keira Barry nodding home on the line and reducing arrears after Scarr headed across the box from a corner.
But Newcastle snatched their two-goal cushion back with 12 minutes left, thanks to super sub Murphy. She combined excellently with Oona Sevenius near the right before firing home from the edge of the box to beat Moloney.
Moloney did not get near it and it was the cue for some of the Sunderland fans to leave early. Newcastle had done enough to earn a fine Tyne-Wear derby win.
Referee: Phoebe Cross
Attendance: 18,972