United were out to make a statement in the opening few minutes against the Blades as they raced into a two-goal lead after just 18 minutes. It was Beth Lumsden who set the tone with her goal on 15 minutes as she marked her 50th WSL2 appearance for the club.
Kaitlyn Torpey, who has been an ever-present threat in the final third so far this season, managed to get on the scoresheet for the first time in a Newcastle United shirt as she found the bottom corner.
A Lucy Quinn deflected goal did make the game appear a lot closer on paper, but Martha Thomas’ first goal for the club 10 seconds into the second-half restored calm to the GIS, and when she swept home her second halfway through the second period, the points were secured.
It took a while for the game to get going at the GIS due to the blustery conditions and wind swirling around the stadium, but it was Martha Thomas who was looking the most dangerous in the final third.
She drifted in off the right and found Lumsden with a cute outside-of-the-foot pass, and then United’s number 26 took one touch on the half turn just inside the area, before curling her effort into the far corner.
The Lasses were looking to make a statement early on when Mollie Lambert showed good close control in the box before setting up Torpey to run onto the ball and calmly find the bottom corner for her first goal in black and white.
United were in total control of the game in every area of the pitch, but a slight mix-up at the back saw Tamminen’s attempted clearance from a short Jemma Purfield back pass bounce off the back of Quinn before bobbling over the line.
That goal initially sparked some life into the Blades, and it was former Newcastle player Amy Andrews who burst past Rachel McLauchlan down the right and hit the byline before cutting the ball back to Quinn, but her first-time strike thumped into the side netting.
Sheffield United’s resurgence didn’t carry on into the second-half as United restored their two-goal lead 10 seconds after kick-off.
A long ball from kick-off was missed by a Blades wide player, allowing Torpey to burst down the wing and dink a cross into the six-yard box just waiting to be attacked, and Thomas obliged to thump the ball home for her first goal since joining in the summer.
Less than 10 minutes after the break and Oxtoby’s side were four goals to the good, and it was Thomas who doubled her tally for the afternoon.
Some brilliant play in the middle of the pitch from Lumsden saw the winger flick the ball over to players before bursting into the box and unselfishly squared the ball to Thomas, who swept home from close-range.
Despite the scoreline, Andrews looked determined to make an impact upon returning to the North East as she was found one-on-one against Thomas in the box, and despite getting past the Scotland international, her effort was well saved onto the post by Tamminen.
Oxtoby was clearly wanting her side to continue pushing for more goals with the introduction of Jordan Nobbs for the first time this season, and she almost got an assist via a long ball to Thomas, who broke into the box, checked onto her right foot before seeing her deft effort drop wide of the far post.
Newcastle United Women: Anna Tamminen, Jemma Purfield, Kathleen McGovern (Jordan Nobbs 62), Mollie Lambert (Leanne Kiernan 68), Martha Thomas (Oona Sevenius 84), Kaitlyn Torpey, Katie Bradley, Lois Joel (Hildur Antonsdóttir 68), Aoife Mannion, Beth Lumsden (Freya Gregory 84), Rachel McLauchlan (c)
Subs not used: Kayla Rendell, Charlotte Wardlaw, Hanna Németh, Gemma Evans
