Latest News
Langley: Youngsters have stepped up
Written by Joseph Nelson
Seventeen-year-old striker Becky Ferguson scored her first goal of the campaign for Newcastle United Women on Sunday to earn the Lady Magpies a place in the second round of the Vitality Women's FA Cup, prompting Becky Langley to praise the way her younger players have risen to the challenge this season.
Unexpected injuries have led to youngsters Daisy Burt, Keira Skelton and Lois Greenslade seeing more action than they may have anticipated at the start of the campaign. However, all three, and Ferguson, have shown they can hack it in Newcastle Women's first team.
And following Ferguson's match-winning strike away at Hull City Ladies, Langley heaped praise on the younger members of her squad.
"They've done brilliantly," she told nufc.co.uk. "I think as youngsters to be so confident, and competent, it's really important.
"All the youngsters played brilliantly (against Hull), and they've got that desire to help the team and win matches. They've stepped up massively this season."
And it isn't just the young players who have impressed this term, with Langley crediting the spirit in the Newcastle dressing room as a key reason for the Lady Magpies' success so far.
"There is a huge togetherness," she said. "It was great to hear the girls chanting (after the Hull win) and they were delighted for Becky Ferguson to score her first goal of the season.
"The vibe and the buzz on the bus back was amazing."
Newcastle Women are in scintillating form at present, with Langley's side currently on a four-match winning streak in all competitions.
The Lady Magpies' boss says her players are eager to compete on all fronts this season, and the prospect of playing a Women's Super League (WSL) team in the latter rounds of the FA Cup is an added incentive to progress.
"We want to keep this momentum of winning four games on the bounce," she explained. "We are confident and excited and just want each game to come quickly.
"We'd love to get past the next round and go further this season than last and we'd love to play a WSL club. It would be amazing to have that chance to go against some of those managers and players."
As well as progressing in the Women's FA Cup, United currently sit top of the FA Women's National League Division One North table. Ahead of a pivotal run of matches before Christmas, Langley is urging her players to remain focused on each match as they come.
"It's a big push now until Christmas and we've got to keep working hard in every session," she said. "We are asking the girls to be 24-hour athletes and (want them to be) doing that work away from the training ground.
"We'll be hard at work this week to make sure that we're in a good position for our next fixture."
Photograph courtesy of Colin Lock/@Tyneside_NUWFC
"It's a big push now until Christmas and we've got to keep working hard in every session. We are asking the girls to be 24-hour athletes and doing that work away from the training ground."