Newcastle United Women v Sunderland Women live: score, updates and line-ups

Full time at Gateshead: Sunderland Women 1-0 Newcastle United Women. Katie Kitching's early second-half finish proved decisive, and it was Noa Schumacher who made sure it stood up, guessing right to save Martha Thomas's penalty with 65 minutes gone. Newcastle threw on fresh faces late on in search of an equaliser, but the visitors' rearguard held firm to see out a well-earned Players Cup win on Wearside's travels.

Into the closing stages now and Sunderland's 1-0 lead is still intact at Gateshead. Fresh legs have come on for both sides as Newcastle try to find a leveller, but the only addition to the action has been a late yellow for substitute Freya Gregory - Schumacher's heroics from the spot still standing between Newcastle and an equaliser as the visitors push to see this one out.

Sunderland continue to cling to that 1-0 lead with ten minutes left at Gateshead. Since Schumacher's penalty save there's been little else to report - no further bookings or clear-cut chances from either side - as the visitors look to see out the win with Missipo now on in place of goalscorer Kitching.

Huge let-off for Sunderland! Noa Schumacher guesses right and saves Martha Thomas's spot-kick to keep the visitors' slender lead intact, and the goalkeeper's heroics are followed by Newcastle sending on Leanne Kiernan as they push for a way back in.

Sunderland have settled into their lead nicely, holding Newcastle at arm's length since Kitching's early second-half strike. The stat sheet remains stubbornly blank for both sides, but with no further bookings or chances to report, it's been a quieter spell as the visitors manage the game at Gateshead.

Sunderland break the deadlock! Katie Kitching turns home the opener just minutes into the second half to put the visitors 1-0 up at Gateshead, a timely boost after that scrappy, chance-starved first 45.

Second half under way at Gateshead and it's a quiet restart, with the stat sheet still blank for both sides after the opening exchanges. The first half's pattern of discipline over danger has carried over, and Sunderland will be looking to find a bit more thrust as this Players' Cup tie resumes level at 0-0.

Still goalless approaching half-time at Gateshead, with the game's temperature rising rather than the scoreline moving. Two more bookings in this spell - Dent for Sunderland and Antonsdóttir for Newcastle - suggest the tackles are flying in more than clear chances, with the stat sheet otherwise remaining stubbornly blank for both sides.

Still deadlocked at Gateshead and the stats continue to show a blank canvas for both sides. The one bit of action to note is Lambert picking up a yellow for Newcastle, but otherwise this Players' Cup clash remains a cagey affair with Sunderland yet to find a way to really assert themselves.

Still nothing to separate the sides at Gateshead, and the stat sheet remains completely blank - no shots, no corners, no bookings from either Newcastle or Sunderland. A real stalemate so far, with both teams seemingly cancelling each other out in a tight opening period.

A cagey start on Tyneside with neither side able to make the breakthrough. The stats sheet is still blank across the board, suggesting both sides are feeling each other out in the early stages at Gateshead. Nothing clear-cut to report yet as Sunderland look to settle into their rhythm.