Report: Dominant Palace put three past Birmingham

Summary:

• Sharpe is handed her first start since returning from injury, while goalkeeper Emilia De La Rue Browne is included in the squad for the first time.
• 5: Flowing Palace move sees Cato square the ball to Hughes, who sees her shot blocked
• 17: Everett is dispossessed but Birmingham cannot convert the chance
• 27: Intricate move ends up in a fine Weerden cross, but no-one is there to finish
• 28: Palace go close once again after Howat was played in behind, but the 'keeper does well to smother the ball
• 40: Great work from Weerden on the left-wing to find Sharpe in the box, but Thomas saves her effort well
• 43: GOAL - Sharpe scores with a wonderful chip to give Palace the lead
• HT: Palace 1-0 Birmingham
• 50: Sharpe carves out a fantastic opportunity for Howat who taps wide from close out
• 53: Wonderful one-two sees Blanchard brought down in the box, but the referee waves away the claims
• 59: Harrison-Murray's shot goes wide after a fine ball from the right wing
• 60: Blanchard is clean through but Thomas makes a great save to deny Palace's Player of the Month
• 62: Yañez saves a fierce effort from outside the box onto the bar and away for a corner
• 70: GOAL - Blanchard scores directly from a free-kick on the edge of the box
• 71: Cato sets Blanchard free, but Thomas saves well again
• 72: GOAL - Hopcroft makes it three with a sensational strike from outside the box
• 75: Sharpe almost makes it four after a dizzying run, but the Birmingham defence manages to block the shot
• 78: Stunning stop from Yañez keeps it at 3-0
• 86: Another brilliant Yañez save preserves Palace's clean sheet
• FT: Palace 3-0 Birmingham

Jo Potter's side were utterly dominant in South London, with Molly-Mae Sharpe, Annabel Blanchard and Shanade Hopcroft all scoring to give Palace a first league home win of the season.

Sharpe's wonderful chip in the first-half put the Eagles in front going into the break, before a Blanchard free-kick and a Hopcroft wondergoal sealed an excellent performance at the VBS.

The signs were there early on for Palace, after Elise Hughes nearly put the Eagles 1-0 up on five minutes after a fine cross from My Cato, but the Wales international saw her shot blocked.

Kirsty Howat managed to get in behind the Birmingham defence on 28 minutes, but Blues goakeeper Lucy Thomas saved well to deny the Scotland international.

40 minutes in and Palace could have had their opener again, with Sharpe meeting Ashleigh Weerden's fine cross in the centre of the box, but Thomas saved well once again.

The hosts were creating chance after chance in South London, and eventually the dominance told on 43 minutes.

Aimee Everett pinged a perfect pass over the top for Sharpe to run onto, and the attacker collected the ball and dinked Thomas superbly to make it 1-0.

It was her first goal since returning from injury, and the delight was written across her face as she was mobbed by her teammates.

Palace went into the break 1-0 up, and could have made it 2-0 just five minutes into the restart.

Sharpe beat her defender on the right side, drove to the byline and crossed to Howat, who tapped wide from close out.

Just ten minutes later and Blanchard was set clean through by Howat, but Thomas managed to save well once again.

Then, on 70 minutes, November's Player of the Month got her goal.

Elise Hughes was brought down on the edge of the Blues box, and Blanchard stood over it. She stepped up and guided the ball into the top left corner from 20 yards to make it 2-0 to Palace.

With Palace creating seemingly at will, Blanchard almost grabbed her second goal just moments after her first.

Cato won the ball in midfield and threaded a wonderful pass for Blanchard to run onto, but Thomas was equal to her effort.

Momentum was with Palace though, and Hopcroft made it three on 72 minutes.

Hopcroft took a corner short, passing to Howat who laid the ball off back to Palace's number 24, who struck it first time.

The ball sailed over the defence and the goalkeeper, and nestled in the side of the goal as Palace got their third of the day.

Palace didn't have it entirely their own way however, as the visitors pushed for a goal towards the end of the game.

Up stepped goalkeeper Shae Yañez, who was called into action a number of times after an uneventful first-half.

Her first save was a wonderful reflex save from Rebecca McKenna on 78 minutes before she made an even better one on 86 minutes, stopping a header on the line from point-blank range.

After a show of real resilience, the referee blew for full-time and Palace had three points and a clean sheet.

This result moves the Eagles up to sixth in the WSL2, just six points off a promotion spot.

Palace are next in action on Sunday, 14th December in the Adobe Women's FA Cup - away to Lewes FC at the Dripping Pan.

Follow the Eagles on the road and get your tickets for that game now, just click the button below!

Palace: Yañez (GK), Napier, Cato, Everett, Sharpe, Hughes, Howat (Riley, 88), Weerden (Sibley, 90+7), Blanchard, Hopcroft (Brown, 80), Swaby

Subs not used: Browne (GK), Nolan, Bailey

Birmingham City: Thomas (GK), Harris, Cooke (Herron, 73), Harrison-Murray (Hurtré, 60), McGowan (Crosthwaite, 45), Holloway, McKenna, Cornet, Sarri, Louis (Quinn, 60), Ji

Subs not used: Irvine (GK), Bance, Baker, Locke, Mannu