Toon going West to make a piece of footballing history

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Sept 9, 2006

Newcastle United Women's FC make history tomorrow when they play their first ever fixture in London.

The Toon take on West Ham United in the first round of the FA Women's Premier League Cup ( a tie which is also the first-ever meeting between the clubs.

Neighbours Sunderland travel to Lincoln for their opening tie.

United head coach Rob Atkin said: "It is a very exciting time to be at the club. We are look ing forward to the challenge of play ing our Southern League opponents and hopefully we can progress and have a decent run in the competition."

Newcastle travel with a 16-strong squad.

It is: Emma McEnaney, Naomi Robson, Vikki Greenwell, Jamie Leigh Scott, Stacy Crooks, Lisa Coleman, Jo Cartwright, Melanie Reay. Rachel Coleman, Sarah Coleman, Ruth Sutcliffe, Lynsey McLean, Jill Stacey, Charlotte Furno, Kerrie Stephenson, Michaela Newton.

Newcastle go into the match on the back of a 2-1 defeat by Crewe in their opening Women's Northern Premier League away game.

The visitors started well with Crewe goalkeeper Kelly Roberts forced into a good early save from Jamie Leigh Scott.

The pressure eventually told on the Cheshire girls on 42 minutes when Mel Reay netted a stunning header from Kelly Ridley's corner to fire the Toon ahead.

Newcastle started the second period as they had started the first.

They failed to make their pressure count and a Tracy Sloane brace, the second of which was a 30-yard free-kick, condemned the Toon girls to defeat.

Atkin said: "We created enough clear-cut chances to have won the game.

"One goal is never enough to be comfortable with at this level and that proved the case when we lost concentration for both of their goals.

"Overall our team performance was not bad but bad finishing on the day cost us the points."