Summary
- Kirsten Reilly attempts a header early on in the first bright chance
- Fliss Gibbons wins a free-kick in the defensive half shortly before extra time
- Both sides fight for a goal but the score remains level at half-time
- Half-time: Crystal Palace 0-0 Sunderland
- Sunderland take the lead through Emily Scarr from the centre of the box
- Annabel Johnson endeavours to level the scoreline but glances her header wide
- Another Sunderland goal takes them to 0-2
- Paige Bailey-Gayle wins a free kick in the dying seconds
- Full-time: Crystal Palace 0-2 Sunderland
On Sunday Crystal Palace Women returned home to Hayes Lane to face Sunderland, attempting to get back to winning ways after defeat in the FA Women’s Cup.
Palace headed into the match with a positive mind-set, with both sides on top form and fighting to win. Kirsten Reilly tried to kick start the action with a header, but was a little too powerful and sent the ball high.
Palace managed to win several free-kicks in the defensive half, however both ‘keepers were hard at work, protecting their territory at either end as both teams defended well.
A relatively quiet first-half contrasted with the 45 minutes that would follow, and even five minutes of extra time couldn’t separate the teams, who went into the break goalless.
After the break, Palace came out fighting to secure a lead, but struggled to gain momentum and 56 minutes in Sunderland’s Emily Scarr seized the opportunity to put them ahead by striking a right-footed shot from the centre of the box which slid into the bottom-left corner.
The Sunderland goal didn’t stop Palace from fighting for their foothold in the game, as captain Annabel Johnson sent a powerful header goalbound which skimmed the crossbar.
Palace persisted throughout the rest of the game, with more attempts from Coral-Jade Haines and Lizzie Waldie providing hope they could fight-back.
With eighty-nine minutes on the clock Sunderland reinforced their lead by bagging another right-footed goal through Katy Watson, assisted by Nicki Gears, and effectively ending the Eagles’ hopes of taking a point.
As the referee called another four minutes of extra time, Paige Bailey-Gayle didn’t stop fighting and won a free-kick on the right wing in the final minutes. However the dead ball was to no avail and the whistle blew with Sunderland taking all three points back up north.
Despite ending in defeat today, Palace Women have a chance to get back on track with a clash against Bristol City this Sunday (23rd).
You can back the team in their upcoming home fixtures here.
Palace: Kitching (GK), Gibbons, Everett, Waldie, Reilly (Bailey-Gayle 67), Haines, Doran (Guyatt 67), Blanchard (Sharpe 84), Hughes, Barton.
Subs not used: Negri (GK), Arthur, Filbey, Peplow, Olding, Noble.
Sunderland: Moan (GK), Griffiths, Westrup, McCatty, Holmes, Beer, Brown, Kelly, Herron, Manders, Scarr (Gears 61).
Subs not used: Cowling, Brown, Ede, McInnes, Dodds, Watson.