Two weeks on from their five-star display on the road, Crystal Palace Women hosted Birmingham City in their penultimate home game of the season.
Laura Kaminski opted to stick with the same starting eleven that beat Durham 5-1, with a spot at the top of Women’s Championship on the line.
The Eagles were cheered on by a supportive crowd at the VBS Community Stadium as they played their final match of the campaign in Sutton – they will welcome title rivals Sunderland to Selhurst Park on the last day of the season.
The game began in cagey fashion as both teams exchanged possession and sought to find a rhythm. The first moment of action came in the 10th minute when Birmingham defence struggled to deal with a Fliss Gibbons free kick and elicited handball shouts from the Palace players, though they had their penalty claims dismissed by the referee.
It was the visitors that had the first real sight of goal though, 20 minutes in. Striker Libby Smith latched on to a through ball from Charlie Smith and was played one-on-one with Demi Lambourne but scuffed her shot over the crossbar.
The hosts were able to grow into the game however, and soon had a chance of their own. A well-worked team move saw Annabel Blanchard find Elise Hughes in the box who had her shot blocked but was able to recycle possession and find Izzy Atkinson, whose shot from the edge of the area was held by Birmingham ‘keeper Lucy Thomas.
The Eagles held firm at the back in the first half and looked most dangerous on the counter as a result. Molly Mae-Sharpe played Blanchard through on goal after the ball was won back in midfield but her sliding effort was pushed wide by the fingertips of Thomas 37 minutes in.
Palace were soon rewarded for their persistence as Hughes found the breakthrough on the stroke of half-time. Some excellent individual work from Blanchard on the left flank saw her ease past Lucy Quinn before firing in a low cross for the Welsh striker to convert at the near post and give the home side the lead at the break.
The visitors had the first chance of the second half – a quick counter-attack saw Cho find space out wide and pick out Smith in the box, whose strike cleared the bar once again.
A swiftly taken throw-in on the 57th minute mark released Sharpe down the right, whose cross made its way to Blanchard. Palace’s No. 10 laid the ball of for Atkinson, who dragged her shot only just wide.
The Blues were reduced to 10 players five minutes later in bizarre moment, when Jade Moore picked up her second yellow card for preventing a Palace counter-attack with her arm in midfield.
With the hosts content to control proceedings and play the game at their own pace after the sending-off, clear cut opportunities became sparse. Gibbons had a sight of goal in the 80th minute, fizzing a first-time strike from 20 yards out just past the post.
The Eagles had the chance to double their lead when Hughes won a penalty as the game headed into stoppage time, though Blanchard had her spot-kick saved by Thomas.
Birmingham attempted a late comeback but were unable to create any shooting opportunities as Palace held on for a huge 1-0 victory to send them to the Women’s Championship summit.
Kaminski’s side now turn their attention to their final away game of the season next week, when they take on Lewes at the Dripping Pan.
Palace: Lambourne (GK), Percival, Everett (C), Nolan, Gibbons, Potter, Hopcroft (Guyatt, 90+2), Blanchard, Sharpe, Atkinson (Dennis, 68), Hughes
Subs not used: Negri (GK), Arthur, Filbey, Reilly, Doran, Watson, Larkin
Birmingham: Thomas (GK), Louise Quinn (C), Lawley,Herron, Holloway, Agg (Harrison-Murray, 89), Lucy Quinn(Walker, HT), Devlin (Cho, 69), Moore, Choe (Pennock, 69),Smith (Pullen, 89)
Subs not used: Clarke (GK), Dungate, Wilson, Hall
