United found themselves a goal behind at the break after Viviane Asseyi scored from the penalty spot, after being fouled by Charlotte Wardlaw.

Despite a spirited second-half performance, goals from Riko Ueki and Sarah Brassero secured the win for the Women’s Super League outfit

On what as a cold night under the lights at the Gateshead International Stadium, the Lasses came out firing and pinning their WSL opponents back.

They forced an error from Kinga Szemik and looked dangerous when pressing from the front, and for almost 40 minutes, they created the best chance of the match.

A driving run forward from Wardlaw created some space for her to whip in a cross onto the head of Beth Lumsden, who was just inside the 18-yard box, but still tested Szemik in the West Ham goal.

Chances were few and far between after Lumsden’s header, with the Hammers not testing Anna Tamminen for the majority of the first-half, but were afforded a big chance to take the lead when Wardlaw was adjudged to have fouled Asseyi in the box.

West Ham’s number 20 picked herself up to score after finding the bottom left corner, just out of the reach of the diving Tamminen.

Much like the first half, it was United who came out of the blocks firing when Lumsden broke into the box down the left before picking out the unmarked Nobbs; however, her tame effort was easily gathered by Szemik.

Despite another positive start from Oxtoby’s side, the Hammers proved to be ruthless in the final third when a cut back was initially missed by West Ham, but found Ueki, who curled a first-time effort into the roof of the net to double the visitors’ lead.

A crucial 60 seconds saw the game slip away from Newcastle as Emily Murphy charged down a West Ham clearance before cutting onto her right foot in the box and hitting the post and seeing Szemik claw the ball off the line.

Immediately from that chance, the visitors sprung a rapid counter-attack with Brasero finally being picked out before taking one touch and firing past Tamminen.

The Lasses continued to go close despite being 3-0 down with less than 10 minutes to go when substitute Murphy forced another Hammers error, this time with Szemik clattering the ball off her back, before seeing it bounce narrowly wide.

Newcastle United Women: Anna Tamminen, Charlotte Wardlaw, Demi Stokes (c) (Freya Gregory 76), Jordan Nobbs, Jemma Purfield, Shania Hayles (Emily Murphy 63), Molly Pike, Oona Sevenius, Lois Joel (Elysia Boddy 63), Aoife Mannion, Beth Lumsden

Subs not used: Claudia Moan, Jasmine McQuade