The new signing began the match among the substitutes but joined the action just six minutes in after an injury to Ellie Dobson. Owens opened the scoring on the half-hour mark, and after Katie Barker had doubled the lead in the second half - before being dismissed for a second bookable offence - Beth Guy grabbed a vital third which made the task of getting level a bridge too far for the hosts.

Becky Langley's side started the game looking to gain on league leaders Durham Cestria at the table's summit but were almost behind just two minutes in when Em Bradshaw fired narrowly wide of the post from outside the box.

Then injury forced Langley into an early change, with Owens coming on for her Newcastle debut in place of Dobson.

As the first half progressed, the Lady Magpies started to gain a foothold in the fixture, with Charlotte Potts rising high to meet Georgia Gibson's corner, but her header flew over the crossbar.

Potts' centre-back partner, Emma Wallis, then went close with two efforts from set-pieces, the first being cleared off the line before the second - a header - was repelled by Stockport goalkeeper Faye Bowness.

Kacie Elson then went close for United twice in quick succession, curling a shot wide and seeing another rebound back off the post, following great link-up play between Owens, Gibson and Lauren Robson.

With 30 minutes on the clock, though, the hosts' resilience was broken. Another Gibson corner caused issues for the Stockport defence, and after the ball dropped to Potts inside the area, the centre-back laid off the ball for Owens who hammered home her first goal for the club following her arrival from Norton & Stockton Ancients Ladies on Friday.

The Lady Magpies searched for a second before the break, with Gibson heading just over from Robson's cross, but Langley's side had to settle for a one-goal lead at half time.

Newcastle continued to press immediately after the restart, and Guy went close before Barker added a second for the Lady Magpies, driving at the heart of the Stockport defence before finishing clinically into the bottom corner.

But shortly after making it 2-0, the number nine was dismissed for a second yellow card after committing a foul.

The hosts looked to capitalise on the one-player advantage on the hour-mark, and Maria Figueiredo halved the deficit.

Kenzie Bentley also went close for the North West side, but it was the Lady Magpies who struck next. Gibson sent in another dangerous free-kick and midfielder Guy was in the right place at the right time, diving to head the ball into the back of the net and restore Newcastle's two-goal advantage.

The hosts pushed for a way back into the match late on and with three minutes remaining Figueiredo got her second of the afternoon to set up a nervy finale.

But despite Stockport's best efforts, they couldn't breach the resilient Newcastle backline as Langley's side took all three points.

The Lady Magpies' boss will be happy with that result, with her side starting the new year the way they ended the last as the Geordies continue to impress in the FAWNL.

Newcastle United Women: Grace Donnelly (c), Daisy Burt (Millie Bell 78), Emma Wallis, Charlotte Potts, Keira Skelton, Ellie Dobson (Bianca Owens 6, Becky Ferguson 83), Beth Guy, Lauren Robson, Georgia Gibson, Kacie Elson, Katie Barker

Subs not used: Gillian Oyos, Lois Greenslade

Report by Joseph Nelson

Photograph courtesy of Colin Lock/@Tyneside_NUWFC