Report: Palace Women draw in six-goal thriller

Summary:

The points were shared at St Andrews, with Bethany England bagging her first goal in Palace colours.

• Swaby comes in to replace the suspended Tsunoda.
• 1: Goal - Hurtré finishes superbly after a cheap Palace giveaway
• 30: GOAL - Hopcroft's deep free-kick manages to evade everyone and find the back of the net
• 33: Goal - Hurtré restores Birmingham's lead with another fine strike
• HT: Birmingham 2-1 Palace
• 52: Herron heads England's shot off the line
• 63: England misses with a header from close range
• 70: GOAL - England bags her first goal for Palace, tapping home from close-range
• 77: GOAL - Lloyd-Smith puts Palace ahead after seizing on a mistake from Levasseur
• 85: Peyraud-Magnin saves well from Hurtré
• 87: Goal - Amano's shot takes a wicked deflection and trickles in
• FT: Birmingham 3-3 Palace

It was a thoroughly entertaining affair in the West Midlands, as Jo Potter's side battled to a 3-3 draw with fellow promoted side Birmingham City.

Palace were behind within 60 seconds at St Andrews, with Océane Hurtré scoring superbly from within the box.

The Eagles equalised on 30 minutes thanks to Shanade Hopcroft's free-kick, before Hurtré put the Blues back in front before the break.

Potter's team started the second-half really strongly and pulled ahead thanks to goals from Bethany England and Lexi Lloyd-Smith, before a late Suzu Amano goal earned the hosts a late draw.

Birmingham were certainly on top for the first 45 minutes, with Pauline Peyraud-Magnin saving a number of high-quality chances.

Hurtré scored two well-taken goals either side of a Hopcroft free-kick - which seemed to evade everyone in the Blues box and bounce over the head of Sophie Baggaley.

This was Hopcroft's first goal for Palace since she returned from her short spell at St Andrews.

Her last goal in Palace colours was also against Birmingham, in a 3-0 home win last season.

The Eagles went into the break with work to do, and Palace came out firing in the second-half.

England could have had two within 20 minutes of the restart - with Neve Herron heading an effort off the line on 52 minutes before the No.9 headed over from close-range 11 minutes later.

The England international was not to be stopped though, and she bagged her first goal for the club on 70 minutes.

Substitute Sierra Enge popped up with a great effort that Baggaley pushed onto the bar - with England ready and waiting to tap the rebounded ball home.

Palace had equalised for the second time today, and they were now hunting a winner.

That go-ahead goal would come just seven minutes later, as Lloyd-Smith got her second of the WSL campaign.

With rain pouring down at St Andrews - the No.7 pinched the ball from Marie Levasseur and drove towards goal.

She made it into the box, opened her body up, and slotted home to put Palace ahead.

It looked as if the Eagles were to hold on for a second win in the league, but the game had one final twist.

Birmingham City broke and the ball was cut back to Amano, who's deflected effort wrong-footed Peyraud-Magnin and earned the hosts a point.

It was late disappointment for the Eagles, but the result keeps us in eighth-place in the league and continues our unbeaten away form ahead of our visit to Aston Villa next weekend.

Before that, we will take on Charlton Athletic in the Subway Players Cup League Phase with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 BST on Wednesday, 30th September.

You can secure your spot at that game by clicking below!

Birmingham: Baggaley (GK), Levasseur, Turner, Herron, McKenna, Miyagawa, Naalsund, Crosthwaite, Lee (Amano, 81), Hurtré, Sarri (Effa Effa, 71)

Subs: Thomas (GK), Harris, Rastocle, Cooke, Leidhammar, Holloway, Cornet

Palace: Peyraud-Magnin (GK), Napier (Enge, 46), Swaby, Everett, Goldie, Bartrip, Hopcroft, Lloyd-Smith, Blanchard, O'Brien (Larkin, 70), England

Subs: Yañez (GK), Erhabor (GK), Sharpe, Weerden, Howat, Cosme, Nolan