Brooke Cochrane aims to lead Newcastle United Women to County Cup glory on Friday night

Looking forward to the fixture, Lady Magpies' captain Brooke Cochrane said: "It is a final, on a Friday night, under the lights. What more could you want?".

Wallsend BC Women are a side who the Newcastle squad know very well, and the familiarity between the sides is something Cochrane believes gives Friday's fixture another dimension.

"It's going to be one of the most competitive fixtures we play this season," Cochrane declared. "Most of their players used to play for us. It will be feisty, it will be competitive, and there will certainly be big tackles. 

"I think this game will be a brilliant advert for women's football in the North East."

The Lady Magpies have had a good run on their journey to the County Cup final this season. Becky Langley's side have scored eight goals in the previous two rounds, following up a 5-0 quarter-final victory over Wallsend BC Women's Reserves with a 3-0 win over Alnwick Town Ladies in the semi-final. 

Reflecting on those fixtures, Cochrane - who made her return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury last month - insists that Newcastle Women's squad are confident of achieving success on Friday.

"Since returning to the side, I feel like we are different," the Newcastle captain said. "Our pressing has been unbelievable. There are a lot more leaders on the pitch now than before my injury, and we all now demand more of one another."

With the league season being cancelled due to Covid-19, the County Cup is now the only remaining chance of silverware for the Lady Magpies. In addition, after the tournament was abandoned last season because of the pandemic, it represents an opportunity for Becky Langley to win her first piece of silverware since becoming manager and Cochrane says that this acts as extra motivation for the players.

She said: "We should be winning this cup. We need to retain it for ourselves, but also win it for Becky, (coaches) Lloyd (Miller), Tom (Gallagher), and for the new players.

"To win something as a team, on the back of the pandemic, would be huge."

As an ambassador for Newcastle United Foundation's Be A Game Changer, Cochrane is dedicated to raising mental health awareness. In March she shared her own mental health journey, revealing the difficulties she faced on the back of the injury that ruled her out of football for over a year. 

Cochrane views the County Cup as a way of ending a largely negative year in a positive way and set her sights on it when she returned to action in April.

"I always put pressure on myself but since the injury, I feel even more," she said. "I need to win to prove to myself that all of the hard work was worth it."

An advocator for inclusion, Cochrane addressed the importance of the support Newcastle United has shown toward movements such as United As One.

"It is great for people who do not necessarily play football to know that others are standing up for them," she said. "It may feel like there wouldn't be much as much support for people in sports like football, but movements such as United As One are incredibly important. It is amazing to be part of."

Another positive ahead of the final is the news that there will be 500 fans allowed to attend the final to support the Lady Magpies, as restrictions continue to ease. 

Langley's squad have shown great form of late and this, coupled with the support of their fans, will fill the Newcastle Women's manager with confidence that the Lady Magpies can end the season on a high.

Photograph courtesy of Colin Lock/@Tyneside_NUWFC