BECKY LANGLEY celebrated her 100th game in charge of Newcastle Women in style as her side made it to the FA Women’s National League Cup Final with a win over Portsmouth.

Goals from Charlotte Potts and Georgia Gibson, either side of a leveller from Emma Jones, were enough for the Lasses, who were backed by a brilliant crowd at St James' Park.

Club officials had hoped the tie may break the club’s attendance record but it was not to be, despite the fantastic result.

Newcastle quickly settled into a groove and the story of the first half was one of Tyneside dominance, but the breakthrough did not come – not for want of trying with Potts and Gibson coming close early on.

With every attack, the crowd grew in voice and there was a sense of expectancy with every forward pass from the Lasses. At the same time, Pompey remained a threat on the break as the National League South leaders looked to stretch the home team’s backline.

Grace Donnelly did not have much to do in the first 45 minutes, but when called upon made a fantastic save to deny Georgie Freeland five minutes from the break.

Newcastle started the second half exactly how they ended the first, with a glut of chances including a strike from Jasmine McQuade which was tipped onto the bar by Haughton in the Pompey net.

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Set-pieces troubled Pompey and ultimately broke the deadlock. Potts rose to meet an outswinging corner from Dodds and it flashed past Haughton to give the Toon the lead.

It was not long before the game was level again though as Pompey continued to find spaces in the Lasses’ defence. Jones was slipped through by Ava Rowbotham and the number nine slotted it home.

But Newcastle maintained the pressure as the Lasses crashed the bar twice in eight minutes inside the final 20 minutes and had a handball shout dismissed in the Pompey box.

As the game entered the first of seven additional minutes, Gibson’s looping header from a cross on the left beat Haughton and sent St. James’ into thunderous ecstasy.

The final whistle blew, Langley punched the air in delight and co-owner Amanda Staveley ran onto the pitch to embrace the team in celebration.

Luton’s Kenilworth Road awaits the victorious Lasses, who will meet Hashtag United Women in the final on the weekend of March 23-24.