Report: Palace bested by Chelsea

Despite a superb first-half performance, Palace Women were edged out by the eight-time WSL champions in Sutton.

Summary:

Ladd is handed her second consecutive start of the campaign as Potter rotates from the midweek defeat to Southampton.

• 9: Swaby heads an effort from the goal line
• 14: Sensational double save from Peyraud-Magnin denies Malard from close-range
• 20: GOAL - Bartrip pokes the ball home from a corner
• 28: McCabe's strike from outside the area is well wide
• 30: Another great stop from the 'keeper denies Nüsken from inside the box
• 43: Three players are booked after an altercation following Kaptein's foul on Tsunoda
• HT: Palace 1-0 Chelsea
• 49: Baltimore is clean through but Peyraud-Magnin saves her effort, with the follow-up missing the target
• 51: Goal - Malard scores with a superb strike from outside the box
• 60: England misses a wonderful opportunity from inside the penalty area
• 63: Bronze booked for a very bad challenge
• 75: Goal - Malard gets her second with a close-range header
• 86: Chelsea hit the post and Carpenter misses the follow-up
• 90: Goal - Baltimore scores from the spot
• FT: Palace 1-3 Chelsea

Crystal Palace Women lost 3-1 to eight-time WSL champions Chelsea at The 360 Engage Stadium.

Molly Bartrip scored Palace's first-ever goal against the Blues on 20 minutes, as Palace put in a sublime first-half performance.

Chelsea rallied at half-time though, and a brace from Melvine Malard and a penalty from Sandy Baltimore saw the visitors run out 3-1 winners.

It was a perfect first-half from Jo Potter's side, as Palace managed to nullify the Chelsea attack and get a goal of their own on a very blustery afternoon in Sutton.

Nine minutes in - Allyson Swaby was called upon on to head the ball away from the goalline after a well-worked corner routine from the visitors.

This was before Pauline Peyraud-Magnin pulled off a sensational double save five minutes later, denying Melvine Malard at point-blank range.

Despite the early Chelsea pressure, it was Palace that took the lead in Sutton.

Fuka Tsunoda whipped in a perfect corner that landed at the back post, and there was Molly Bartrip to touch home.

It marked Palace's first-ever goal against the Blues in the WSL, and the delight was written across the defenders face as she wheeled away in celebration.

That proved to be the only goal in the first-half, as Potter's side went into the break 1-0 up against the eight-time WSL champions.

Chelsea responded in the second-half by making two changes at half-time, which soon paid dividends for the visitors.

It was always going to take something special to beat Peyraud-Magnin in the Palace net but the Blues did manage to equalise six minutes in.

Malard picked up the ball and unleashed a ferocious effort into the top corner, with the Palace stopper rooted to the spot.

Bethany England then had the chance of the game on the hour mark after the ball fell kindly from a deep free-kick.

She sorted her feet quickly and got her shot away, but the effort was too high and sailed over Hannah Hampton's crossbar.

The visitors then managed to get the go-ahead goal on 75 minutes as Malard bagged her second of the day.

As Palace pushed for an equalising goal, Bartrip was adjudged to have fouled in the box and the Blues had a penalty.

Substitute Baltimore converted, and Chelsea ended up as 3-1 winners.

This result leaves Palace in 12th place, with several teams still to play today.

Up next is a visit to Hayes Lane, as we take on London City Lionesses in the Subway Players Cup on Wednesday, 28th October.

Click below to get your away tickets for this South London clash.

Palace: Peyraud-Magnin (GK), Everett, Lloyd-Smith, England, Ladd (Enge, 90+4), Blanchard (O'Brien, 76), Larkin, Goldie, Tsunoda, Swaby (Swaby, 90+4), Bartrip

Subs: Yañez (GK), Sharpe, Howat, Weerden, Nolan, Hopcroft

Chelsea: Hampton (GK), Carpenter, Nüsken (Matsukubo, 90), Malard (Dragoni, 90), Thompson (Baltimore, 46), McCabe, Kaptein (Beever-Jones, 68), Bronze, Hamano (Cuthbert, 46) Buchanan, Potter

Subs: Peng (GK), Buurman, Lasova, Brown