Second-half goals from Kacie Elson, Paige Bailey-Gayle and Jasmine McQuade were enough to secure all three points for Newcastle United Women at the County Ground in Leyland.

After what was a tightly-contested first half, Newcastle took control in the second 45 minutes as Elson pounced on a parry from Kirstie Levell and smashed into the roof of the net from close range to break the deadlock.

A Bailey-Gayle strike after an indirect free kick just five minutes later saw the Lasses take control of the top-of-the-table clash and send the away fans into dreamland, before a stunning solo goal from McQuade wrapped it up for Langley's side.

Burnley came out the stronger of the two teams, dominating possession and pinning Newcastle back, but it was the Lasses who carved out the first chance after ten minutes. Katie Barker drifted in from the right and beat a defender before firing an effort into the side-netting.

The Clarets took that as a warning because just three minutes later Leah Embley fired a pop-shot from distance which had Grace Donnelly scampering, but it clipped the bar and floated behind.

Barker was constantly causing Burnley problems cutting in from the right and she ghosted past two defenders before firing a goal-bound strike which forced Levell to pull off a low save and tip the ball expertly around the post.

Newcastle were stamping their authority on the match with half-an-hour on the clock and Hannah Greenwood thought she'd opened the scoring. The centre-back glanced a Beth Lumsden free kick centre meters wide of Levell's far post from the penalty spot.

Langley's side continued to pepper Levell's goal when Bailey-Gayle spun a defender to launch a counter-attack. Newcastle's number 90 then cut into the box from the left before curling an effort towards the far post which drifted agonisingly wide.

Burnley were not looking to just make up the numbers in Lancashire though as Embley had the ball in the back of the net but celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.

As the first half entered added time, Millie Grace Ravening fizzed a long-range effort towards goal, but Donnelly made a smart save with her legs before Newcastle finally slashed the ball clear.

Despite being under pressure for most of the second half it was Newcastle who opened the scoring through substitute Elson. Levell failed to hold onto Charlotte Potts' free kick and Elson was on hand to smash home from very close range.

Elson sprinted straight across to the Newcastle supporters who were going wild in the main stand and let out a huge roar in response to the cheers.

It was a chaotic five minutes with Amber-Keegan Stobbs striking the post before Barker saw an effort tipped onto the bar. Burnley's shot-stopper inadvertently picked up a back pass seconds later with the referee awarding an indirect free kick.

Stobbs rolled the back to Bailey-Gayle who sent a thunderbolt of an effort past all the Burnley players which proved too hot to handle for Levell, who saw the ball squirm through her hands and into the back of the net.

McQuade rounded off a stunning away performance with less than five minutes left to play. Newcastle's number 21 danced her way through two Burnley defenders on the edge of the area before calmly finishing into the bottom corner.

Newcastle United Women: Grace Donnelly, Olivia Watt, Charlotte Potts, Lia Cataldo, Beth Lumsden (Kacie Elson 53), Hannah Greenwood, Amber-Keegan Stobbs (c) (Anna Soulsby 93), Emma Kelly, Georgia Gibson (Jasmine McQuade 53), Katie Barker (Tyler Dodds 87), Paige Bailey-Gayle (Bridget Galloway 83)

Subs not used: None

Report by Aaron Hindhaugh