Report: Palace exit Women's FA Cup at Chelsea

Summary

• Gibbons, Arthur and Sharpe all come into the starting XI for Palace Women’s first-ever appearance in the Women’s FA Cup quarter-finals.
• 3: James' right-footed shot from outside the box is blocked by Gibbons.
• 9: Palace move the ball up the pitch nicely to ease defensive pressure.
• 19: Yañez produces a brilliant save to deny Beever-Jones
• 26: Brief break in play for Smerud to speak to his players.
• 31: Beever-Jones puts the ball in the back of the net for Chelsea but the flag is up for offside.
• HT: Chelsea 0-0 Palace
• 51: Woodham almost plays Larisey in behind the Chelsea defence.
• 58: Chelsea have the ball in the back of the net again, but the effort is disallowed for offside.
• 64 – GOAL: James gives Chelsea the lead, stabbing home a loose ball after a corner.
• 82: Yañez makes another good save to deny Macario.
• FT: Chelsea 1-0 Palace

It was a glorious day at Kingsmeadow as Palace made their first-ever appearance in the Women’s FA Cup quarter-finals, but after holding their impressive hosts – Chelsea are unbeaten in all competitions so far this season – for long stretches, they eventually lost out to a single moment of quality.

Leif Smerud made three changes from his first game in charge last weekend, with Fliss Gibbons, Chloë Arthur and Molly Sharpe all coming into the starting lineup.

From the outset, Chelsea tried to take charge by dominating possession and carving out chances, but Palace defended well to prevent any real dangerous efforts at goal.

Winger James had a half-chance with a right-footed shot from outside the box, but Gibbons managed to get in the way and steer it clear.

Having been on the back foot for the opening exchanges, Palace players linked up well to move the ball up the pitch, which briefly eased some pressure of their defence.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Shae Yañez made an incredible save to deny Aggie Beever-Jones’ header from close range.

After being a constant threat on the right hand side, Beever-Jones thought she had put the hosts ahead but the flag was raised for offside in the build-up.

The Blues had bombarded Palace’s defence with efforts at goal, but only one had been on target, which meant that the teams went into the break level.

The second-half started similarly to the first, with Chelsea pressing for an opener.

But Palace showed drive and purrpose throughout, and against the run of play, Lily Woodham played an almost perfect through pass towards Clarissa Larisey, which was snatched up at the forward's feet by goalkeeper Hannah Hampton.

The pressure was relentless from Chelsea; Catarina Macario fired home from close range, but once again the flag was raised for offside in the build-up.

However, the offside flag could not save Palace on 64 minutes as the hosts took the lead through James, who found the bottom-left corner with a volley from a half-cleared corner.

Despite taking the lead, the pressure did not lighten from Chelsea and Yañez was called into action again to deny Macario from close range.

Palace looked to find an equaliser at the death from a corner, but Sharpe couldn’t force her header goalbound and could only watch as it went out for a goal kick.

It wasn’t to be for the Eagles as one final chance from a free-kick was saved by Hampton, and Palace exited the FA Cup at the quarter-final stage.

Palace: Yañez (GK), Riley (Larkin, 52), Swaby, Gibbons, Woodham (Hughes, 80), Sharpe, Cato, Arthur, Blanchard, Weerden (Atkinson, 52), Larisey (Stengel , 78).

Subs not used: Majasaari (GK)

Chelsea: Hampton (GK), Lawrence, Bright, Bjorn, Baltimore, Cuthbert(Francois,74), Kaptein (Nusken, 45), Hamano (Kaneryd, 45), James (Charles, 83), Macario, Beever-Jones (Ramirez, 55).

Subs not used: Spencer (GK), Bronze, Brown, Jean, Fishel.