Cup win is hailed - but Lady Mags’ coach wants league form to improve

MANAGER Andy Inness has challenged his Newcastle United Ladies side to replicate their SSE Women’s FA Cup form in their league campaign.

United produced the shock of the second round to dump FA Women’s Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest out of the competition, Megan McKenzie twice on the scoresheet.

That means a third-round tie with The New Saints now awaits this weekend – with a potential glamour clash with a Women’s Super League side potentially on the horizon. Newcastle’s performance was a cut above anything else they have produced so far, Inness hopeful his side can keep it going in the bread and butter of Women’s Northern League Division One - while also improving on their already-historic cup run.

He said: “A win like this is brilliant for the players’ confidence.

“We believe in them but for them to realise they can play against these teams can do a lot for them, it is just about finding the consistency to do that at that level.

“They know they have it in them, that is the biggest thing going forward and now we have to approach every league game with that exact mentality.

“It was fantastic for everyone involved, the club and the girls gained what they deserved and they had trained really well in the week leading up to it.

“You could just sense it, right down to the bus journey there was a big build-up to the day and the excitement of the FA Cup.

“It was 11 v 11 on the day and we came away from there fully deserving of the victory.”

That was not the only success for the Lady Mags, McKenzie’s double earning her the SSE Player of the Round award.

Inness added: “It was a great win. When the draw was made it was always going to be a challenge but it was one we approached believing we could get a result from it.”