Laura Blindkilde Brown (Katie Chan)

Laura Blindkilde Brown kept her nerve to score the decisive penalty in a sudden-death shoot-out in the Subway Women’s League Cup – giving Manchester City a group-stage win over second-tier Newcastle United.

It could have been an embarrassing result for City, though, currently second in the Women’s Super League – against the team fourth from bottom in the Women’s Championship.

The score was 3-3 after 90 minutes, and Andree Jeglertz’s team edged the shoot-out 7-6 after the Magpies scored two late on.

Lois Joel had opened the scoring in Gateshead after 11 minutes, and Laura Coombs netted in first-half added time to send City in level at the break.

Yui Hasegawa and Gracie Prior put City 3-1 up – but Freya Gregory grabbed one back in the 82nd minute, and Shania Hayles got the equaliser as full-time approached.

Both sides scored their first six penalties before Newcastle captain Demi Stokes saw hers saved by Khiara Keating – and Lioness Blinkilde Brown did not flinch as she gave her side the additional point.

It puts City on top of Group A, with two matches played and two matches won. Newcastle are bottom of the group having...