Hills’ hat-trick helps Women’s Under-19s to big win over Newcastle

Heidi Hills’ hat-trick inspired our Women’s Under-19s to a big 7-2 win over Newcastle United in the Professional Game Academy League on Wednesday afternoon.

The young forward got us off to the perfect start at Hotspur Way as she curled home from distance inside four minutes and although Casi Gregson grabbed a leveller for the visitors midway through the first period, we showed a clinical edge in the second half to score six of our seven goals in the emphatic win.

A wonderful strike from Nife Aramide reinstated our lead minutes after the restart before Ruby Mace opened her account for the season to create a two-goal advantage. Although the Magpies halved the deficit once again just before the hour mark, four goals in a 13-minute spell put any doubt of a late Newcastle comeback to an end.

Hills headed home the fourth before setting up Grace Bellwood for the fifth of the afternoon, making it four consecutive games with a goal for the young forward, and she then grabbed a second shortly after to make it 6-2. Then, to complete the scoring with four minutes left on the clock, Hills converted from the penalty spot to take her tally to 10 for the season and extend our unbeaten run to four games in all competitions.

Head Coach Sabiha Jamal named Evie Northwood in the starting XI for her first start since October, 2024, and completed a scheduled 45 minutes as she continues her return to full fitness from injury while a number of our Under-16s featured and played a key role in our victory.

We were quickly on the offensive on a sunny day in north London and took an early lead. An under-hit pass back towards the opponents goalkeeper was latched on to Hills and, having spotted the visitors shot stopper off her line, she curled home from distance to open the scoring and net her first goal since November. However, despite our strong start, Newcastle were the side in momentum and began carving out opportunities, Macie Halsall dragging a shot narrowly wide of the far post but, on 19 minutes, they managed to grab a leveller.

With Gregson receiving the ball at her feet at around 20 yards out, she struck an effort from distance over Sophie Jackson and into the back of the net. Our young shot stopper had to be alert shortly after, making a big save to deny Halsall as she got behind our backline while, at the other end, Hills and Poppy Neill both had curling efforts from the left, but they were unable to test Newcastle’s keeper Freya Dyos in the closing stages of the first half.

Looking to make a quick start after the break, we reinstated our lead three minutes into the second period. Substitute Lexi Withey was heavily involved in the action as her relentless pressure forced the visitors’ backline to concede possession before she teed up Aramide on the edge of the box, who hit a well-struck shot from a central position into the top left corner. Six minutes later and we grabbed an important third goal in the contest as Mace, after her initial free-kick was cleared back to her, drilled a low first time effort towards goal with Dyos unable to keep the ball heading over the line.

Halsall did eventually get herself name on the scoresheet to pull one back for Newcastle on 59 minutes as she picked out the far bottom corner via the inside of the post from the right of the box. Aramide came inches away from netting her second of the game, a long-range strike hitting the underside of the crossbar followed by Withey's header on the rebound being pushed away by Dyos before the young midfielder struck the outside of the post just minutes after.

We eventually bagged our fourth of the afternoon on 77 minutes when Amie Bush’s deep cross to the back post was headed home by Hills – and that opened the floodgates in the latter stages. Two minutes later, Hills turned provider, cutting the ball back to Bellwood in the box for the forward to guide home first time before securing her brace shortly after, showcasing her striker’s instinct to force the ball home on the rebound after Rania Oukriss’ shot was palmed away by Dyos.

Then, with four minutes remaining in the clash, Hills was brought down inside the area and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. The versatile youngster, who originally started the game at full-back before being pushed up forward later on, stepped up and calmly slotted away for her hat-trick. It was Hills’ second hat-trick of the campaign following her treble against Gwalia United in the FAWNL Cup in October and saw her move to double figures for goals in all competitions.

"We were attacking in numbers and were able to capitalise on opportunities that arguably we haven’t scored enough of this season"

Reflecting on the game, Head Coach Sabiha Jamal said: “The first half was tough because I thought Newcastle were very aggressive, very physical with their one-v-ones, so full credit to them. I think we did well to stay in the game and we were okay in spells but, as I said before, there’s something I have seen in this group at half-time, an element of calmness which allows us to attack the second half with a positive mindset.

"A big change was Lexi coming on and added a level of energy to the press and once we got the second goal, you could see us growing in confidence. We were attacking in numbers and were able to capitalise on opportunities that arguably we haven’t scored enough of this season. It’s been an area we’ve focused on ahead of this game - behaviours in and around the box - so it’s nice to see that application, especially with the number of goals we score.”

Giving her thoughts on the win, defender Barraclough added: “We started off slow despite the early goal and let them back into the game in the first half. However, once we got into the second half, I feel we clicked more and we were more ruthless in front of goal and, to be honest, we could have scored more. We came out better in the second half to score six goals and get the win. I feel, after the break, we were just more aggressive – with and without the ball – as in previous games where we’ve had opportunities and we didn’t take them, but we were very clinical today.”

Match data

Goals: Spurs – Hills 4, 77, 86, Aramide 48, Mace, 54, Bellwood 79, 82; Newcaslte – Gregson 19, Halsall 56.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Aramide 27.

Referee: Luke Rees.

Venue: Hotspur Way.

Weather: Sunny, 16 degrees.