Stacey Aisthorpe and Jodie Michalska scored two goals each as OOH Lincoln Ladies left Newcastle United with a 4-0 win in Sunday afternoon’s Premier League Northern Division match.
It took just 5 minutes for the Lady Imps to take the lead. A flowing move involving Mel Cook and Sophie Barker released Jodie Michalska down the right wing, and her cross found Aisthorpe at the back post. The striker bulleted a downward header past the keeper to give her side the lead.
With Newcastle seeking a way back into the match, Kay Hawke had to be alert in keeping out a couple of long range strikes.
But Lincoln moved further ahead on 28 minutes. The industrious Jodie Michalska outpaced her marker then skipped past the goalkeeper to walk the ball into the net.
The forward was again in the thick of action a minute before half time, when she curled an effort wide – while being poleaxed by a waist-high tackle.
Six minutes into the second half Michalska added to her personal tally and extended the Lady Imps’ lead. She sprang the Newcastle offside trap and, with her left foot this time, thumped the ball over the keeper and into the net.
On 59 minutes tricky wing play from Randi Johns saw her guide a cross onto Michalska’s head. She thumped a header off the base of the post, apparently after a crucial touch from Newcastle’s keeper.
Then on the hour mark a Newcastle midfielder burst clear, only to be chased down and dispossessed by Leandra Little. The referee waved away mild appeals for a penalty.
But on 83 minutes the seal was put on the result. Michalska turned provider for her strike partner Aisthorpe, firing over a cross which was dispatched with another firm header.
Aisthorpe is the scourge of Newcastle, having scored 8 goals against them in 4 meetings this season, and the Geordies will surely be relieved to see the back of her.
The Lady Imps have now won their last three matches while hitting 11 goals without reply.
“It was probably our best display of the season,” said manager Rod Wilson.
“I’m particularly delighted with the performance. It was windy and the pitch was a little bit bobbly, but I thought we were absolutely tremendous.
“It’s always hard to come up to the North East – it’s a long journey and it’s always blustery – but this was our best ever up here.
“In fact every one of the players were tremendous and it would be hard to pick a woman-of-the-match.”
Wilson had stressed the importance of width to his charges, and was pleased with the impact of wingers Randi Johns and Sophie Barker.
“We normally go compact, but we took a gamble today and I thought it worked really well. The full-backs and winger combination on both sides caused them serious problems.
“I think the Americans will keep getting better, as the conditions become more suited to them. I thought Randi did really well today on the wing.”
Meanwhile the Lady Imps boss heaped praise on his red-hot striking duo.
“Jodie is a brilliant player and should probably be in the England setup somewhere along the line.
“Stacey put in a typical, Stacey Aisthorpe 110% performance. Obviously she’s still coming back from injury but she worked really hard, went up for all the headers and won loads of them.”
Lady Imps (4-4-2): Hawke; Cook (Richardson 82), Radburn, Little, Stray; Barker (B.Johns 73), Harris, Ward, R.Johns; Michalska, Aisthorpe
Subs: Futter, Crossman
Photo: Andrew Vaughan
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