Two complete January exits as Newcastle Women prepare for tough FA Cup test
It’s not just Newcastle United Men who are in FA Cup action on Sunday afternoon, as Wor Lasses also have a date with destiny.
They take on Nottingham Forest Women at Kingston Park kicking off at 1:00pm as an appetiser for the Men’s 3rd Round tie at home to Bromley.
The Lasses have an opportunity to make the 5th round which would be the last 16 of the competition a stage further than they went last year when they lost 5 – 0 at Manchester United in the fourth round.
This time they are favourites to get to the next round as they’re at home and face a Forest side a division below them. Albeit a Forest side with ambitions and realistic hopes of being in the Championship next season.
Forest are top of the National League Premier North Division having played 11 with 9 wins and 2 draws. They’ve scored 47 goals and only conceded four. A phenomenal record they backed up last Wednesday when they defeated Burnley Women 1 – 0 to make it to Sunday’s game.
So, it can be seen that The Lasses face a very tough task indeed made all the harder as two of the players they could well face helped United to promotion only last season. Defender Naomi Bedeau played 12 games with fiv substitute appearances for United.
Bridget Galloway did even better netting 17 goals in 19 starts and 12 substitute appearances. It could be said that both will want to prove their ex-employers were wrong to release them and could be big factors in the game.
For Wor Lasses it’s a first game since they lost 5 – 3 at Manchester United in the League Cup way back on 11th December. A result that followed United’s Lasses coming through an FA Cup 3rd Round Derby with Middlesbrough 2 – 0 three days earlier.
So, a very hard game for United to kick-off 2025 looking to follow-up their fabulous 2024 calendar year. They’re certainly going to have to be at their best to defeat a rampant unbeaten Forest side.
Two Lasses leave for Boro
In other news United have waved goodbye permanently and temporarily to two players that have been a big part of their success in the recent seasons. Kacie Elson who started 70 and was a substitute on 21 occasions scoring 43 goals over seven season has left permanently to join Middlesbrough.
She will be joined at ‘Boro by Georgia ‘Gallowgate’ Gibson who over five seasons netted 59 goals in 92 starting appearances plus 10 as a substitute. Gibson is on loan at the moment for the rest of the season.
Both players leave with the heartfelt thanks of all at Newcastle United, officials, fellow teammates and supporters alike. The supporters in particular will be sad to see them go as they both became very firm terrace favourites for sure.
But it shows a sign of the times. Newcastle United Women are a seriously progressive project and many will fall by the wayside as they try to reach the upper echelons of Women’s football in this country.
That’s not to say those leaving will be forgotten. They played their part and will always have a place in the United history. What Newcastle will be hoping is that Bedeau and Galloway don’t come back to haunt United this weekend.
