Reggae Girlz striker Shania Hayles was the hero at St James’ Park on Sunday, scoring the decisive goal in Newcastle United Women’s 1-0 win over Sunderland Women in a hotly contested FA Women’s Championship encounter.

Introduced as a substitute in the 69th minute, Hayles wasted little time making her mark. In the 77th minute, Emily Murphy delivered a pinpoint pass into the area and Hayles pounced, firing a low left-footed shot into the bottom right corner to give the Magpies a crucial lead.

The goal capped off a lively second half that saw Newcastle dominate much of the attacking play, with earlier chances from Beth Lumsden, Freya Gregory, and Rachel Furness testing Sunderland’s defensive resolve.

Sunderland, for their part, had their own moments. Katie Kitching’s long-range effort forced a smart save while Katy Watson fired over from close range early in the second half. But despite the pressure, Newcastle’s backline—led by the experienced Demi Stokes and Charlotte Wardlaw—stood firm.

A lengthy stoppage due to injury to Deanna Cooper briefly paused proceedings before Hayles delivered her match-winning moment. Sunderland made several late substitutions in search of an equaliser, but Newcastle held their nerve through six minutes of added time to secure all three points.