Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
The Newcastle United figure took a small swipe at North East rivals Sunderland during last weekend’s derby game
Newcastle United CEO Darren Eales was quick to aim a dig at North East rivals Sunderland on Sunday at St James’ Park.
Sunderland Women endured a second consecutive defeat to Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon, falling 1-0 at St. James’ Park in front of a record-breaking crowd. A staggering 38,502 fans packed the stadium, setting a new attendance record for a Women’s Championship fixture - surpassing the previous high set during the reverse fixture at the Stadium of Light earlier this season.
The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone. Simply click this link to join ourSAFC WhatsApp channel.
Mel Reay’s side struggled to impose themselves in a tense encounter and were ultimately undone by a 78th-minute strike from Newcastle substitute Shania Hayles. Her goal secured back-to-back wins for the Magpies over their local rivals, following their victory on Wearside in October.
In a match with few clear-cut chances, Newcastle started the stronger of the two sides, coming close through Beth Lumsden early on. The Magpies dominated much of the first half, pressing for an opener, while Sunderland defended resolutely but were limited to rare opportunities on the break.
However, at half-time, Newcastle United’s newly-won Carabao Cup trophy was paraded to supporters after the Magpies’ recent victory over Liverpool in the final at Wembley. When addressing the crowd during the break Eales said: "We were aware that it was going to be a big deal, but it is only when you win it you realise how excited everyone was. Everyone in the North East and it is nice for the Sunderland fans here to see the trophy and share it with them."
What did Sunderland boss Mel Reay say about the game?
After the game, Sunderland Women’s boss Reay admitted that Sunday afternoon’s Tyne-Wear Derby defeat against Newcastle United “will hurt” for the next couple of days but has insisted that there are positives to draw on from the loss.
Speaking in a post-match press conference at St. James’ Park, the Sunderland boss said: “It'll hurt for 24, 48 hours until we're back in on Tuesday. We've got to dust ourselves down. I think there's improvement from last weekend, which is what we've got to draw on.
“We're at home next week to Charlton, back at Eppleton, where we haven't been for a while. We've just got to have some personal standards again and apply ourselves well in training during the week and try and finish with the next three games on a high.”
The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone. Simply click this link to join ourSAFC WhatsApp channel.
What did Mel Reay say about Sunderland vs Newcastle United as an occasion?
While Sunderland found themselves playing in front of the largest crowd ever recorded for a Women’s Championship match, and in the midst of a vocal and occasionally hostile away environment, Reay also stated that the size of the occasion had no bearing on Sunday’s disappointing result.
When asked if the broader circumstances were a factor in her side’s loss, she added: “No, I don't think so. I think we've done a lot of work on that. We had a big crowd when we played [against Newcastle] at the Stadium of Light. We travelled to St Mary's and played in front of a big crowd.
“I think it's become a little bit more normalised. I thought the Sunderland fans were terrific in the corner. We've heard every single one of them and we want to thank them for coming to St James' to support the team. It was noticeable that they were there and that was important for the team.”
Sunday’s result leaves Sunderland seventh in the Championship table, having won just one of their last five league outings. Their next fixture comes against Charlton Athletic on March 30th.
Your next Sunderland read:**'**Towering' - Jason Jones' Sunderland Women player ratings vs Newcastle United with several 6's & 7's - gallery