A stunning Jordan Nobbs strike from outside the area came about after a neat bit of build-up play, before she picked out the top corner and put the Lasses ahead at half time.
The second half was all Newcastle, and they were rewarded for their pressure when substitute Beth Lumsden latched onto a perfect long ball from Emily Murphy and the number 26 exquisitely lobbed Adrianna Franch, who came rushing out of her goal.
Those goals saw United secure all three points and reduce the gap to the automatic promotion spots to just two points with five games left to play.
There were two changes from last Saturday’s draw against Sheffield United Women, with Freya Gregory and Deanna Cooper coming in for Beth Lumsden and Demi Stokes, while there was also a first appearance since 12 October for Morgan Gautrat.
It was a dominant start from the Blues when a strong Neve Herron clearance on the halfway line fell nicely at the feet of Veatriki Sarri, but after running through on goal, her strike lacked power and was an easy save for Anna Tamminen.
Long balls were becoming a consistent weapon for Birmingham, when a Crossfield one picked out Lilly Crosthwaite, who drove beyond Freya Gregory and fizzed an effort across goal. However, she was well denied by Tamminen, who got a strong hand to it and pushed the ball away to safety.
With just two minutes of regular first half time to play, it was Nobbs who stepped up to produce a moment of brilliance and put the Lasses ahead.
After a swift break forward, Newcastle controlled possession in the final third, before Molly Pike’s decisive ball forward gave Nobbs the chance to let fly from 20 yards out and fire an arrowing strike into the top corner, leaving Franch with no chance.
There were five minutes of additional time in the first half, and Birmingham almost made it count when a ball was only half cleared in the box, but Sarri could only slice her effort well wide of Tamminen’s far post.
After taking an important lead into the break, United came out after the restart with a strong intention to increase their lead, and they almost did 10 minutes into the second half.
A sublime flick on the halfway line from Emilia Larsson saw the Swede break away into the final third and slip in Emily Murphy, who looked destined to find the back of the net before a great last-ditch sliding tackle from Rebecca McKenna to force a corner.
From the resulting corner, Gregory went deep, missing out everyone apart from the unmarked Aoife Mannion, whose looping header needed to be palmed away by Franch.
It was all United in the second half, and they finally made their dominance count when Murphy played an inch-perfect ball through to substitute Lumsden, and she made no mistake in lobbing the on-rushing Franch and doubling United’s lead.
Just two minutes later, and it could have been a dream return to the GIS for Emma Kelly, when she was found 25 yards out from goal and set her sights on the far corner, and despite her effort having plenty of power behind it, Franch got across her line quickly to push the ball behind.
The Blues struggled to get in behind Newcastle after the break, but a long ball almost caught them out with less than five minutes to play. However, even Wilma Leidhammar couldn’t trouble Tamminen with a header that bounced wide from the penalty spot.
Newcastle United Women: Anna Tamminen, Charlotte Wardlaw, Jordan Nobbs (Shania Hayles 81), Jemma Purfield, Emma Kelly (Morgan Gautrat 71), Freya Gregory (Małgorzata Grec 81), Deanna Cooper (Demi Stokes 71), Emilia Larsson (Beth Lumsden 61), Aoife Mannion (c), Emily Murphy
Subs not used: Claudia Moan, Oona Sevenius, Jasmine McQuade, Jorja Fox.
