A Kathleen McGovern hat-trick saw Newcastle United Women round off their pre-season in style against Burnley Women at the Gateshead International Stadium.
One of Newcastle’s new recruits showed exactly why she has the skillset and mentality to wear the famous number nine shirt with three goals on her first appearance at the GIS.
While it was an impressive display from Tanya Oxtoby’s side, it didn’t go all their own way with Jamie Finn putting Burnley ahead early in the first half despite United’s dominance at the other end.
However, the Lasses were only behind for a couple of minutes before McGovern volleyed home at the back post, meeting an inch-perfect Charlotte Wardlaw delivery.
With both sides level at the break, Oxtoby brought on Jordan Nobbs and Rachel McLauchlan, and not long after the referee got the second-half underway, McGovern had found the back of the net for a second game.
United were in control of the ball and general proceedings, but McGovern made sure of the win when she sent a curling effort over the head of Kirstie Levell and into the top corner to seal her hat-trick.
It was a blistering start to the game from United, who carved open a golden opportunity just 11 minutes into the game when McGovern won the ball in Burnley’s final third before picking out Martha Thomas in the middle, but Kirstie Levell’s presence was enough to slightly put off Newcastle’s number 17.
Despite a positive start and the majority of the game being played in Burnley’s half, it was the visitors who took the lead. Anna Tamminen came out to sweep up a long ball, but inadvertently cannoned the ball off Finn, who then finished into an open net from an acute angle.
United were behind for just six minutes at the GIS before the club’s new number nine McGovern volleyed home at the back post following a perfectly timed overlapping run from Charlotte Wardlaw and an even better cross by the Scottish right back.
After the goal, Newcastle looked to dominate proceedings and their number nine had a taste for goals at the GIS. A marauding run forward from Kaitlyn Torpey saw her find Katie Bradley on the edge of the area, who slipped a fine ball into McGovern’s feet, but her curling effort sailed marginally wide.
The second goal was beginning to edge closer for United and Beth Lumsden’s eyes will have lit up when she latched onto a loose ball in the box after arriving late, but a last-ditch Burnley tackle denied her venomous effort.
Six minutes after the break, both Lumsden and McGovern combined to give United the lead. Newcastle’s number 26 advanced towards the box with an avenue to shoot, but instead fed McGovern, who made no mistake in finding the bottom corner.
It was a stunning way to round off an impressive pre-season for McGovern, who picked up the ball on the left-hand side of the box before curling a delicate effort over Levell and into the top corner to seal her hat-trick.
Despite United’s dominance on the pitch and on the scoreline, they still required Tamminen to maintain their two-goal advantage when she pulled off a brave double save to deny Brooke Cairns twice from close-range.
Newcastle United Women: Anna Tamminen, Charlotte Wardlaw (Rachel McLauchlan 46), Jemma Purfield (c), Kathleen McGovern, Mollie Lambert (Jordan Nobbs 46), Hildur Antonsdóttir (Lois Joel 63), Martha Thomas, Kaitlyn Torpey, Katie Bradley (Ashanti Akpan 86), Aoife Mannion (Hanna Németh 75), Beth Lumsden (Leanne Kiernan 63)
Subs not used: Kayla Rendell, Emilia Larsson, Oona Sevenius
