Report & Highlights: Palace Women climb to third with huge win against Birmingham
Crystal Palace Women earned another huge win in the league, as they beat second-place Birmingham City 3-1 at St Andrews.
Summary:
Potter names an unchanged side from the win at home against Bristol City.
- 9: Weerden lofts a nice ball to the back post, but a Palace player can't get on the end of it
- 22: Yañez saves from Leidhammar's long-range effort
- 29: GOAL - Blanchard puts Palace ahead after a lovely cutback from Sharpe
- 42: Yañez denies Sarri from close-range
- 43: GOAL - It's two for Palace as Larkin heads home at the back post
- HT: Birmingham 0 - 2 Palace
- 49: McKenna flashes an effort wide
- 74: Leidhammar goes close once again
- 80: GOAL - Palace get a third after Weerden finds Hughes
- 89: GOAL - Hurtré pulls one back from close-range
- FT: Birmingham 1 - 3 Palace
Palace Women climbed into third-place in the Barclays Women's Super League 2, after a stunning 3-1 away win at Birmingham City.
Goals from Annabel Blanchard and Abbie Larkin put the Eagles into a 2-0 lead at half-time, before Elise Hughes got in on the act with a goal on 80 minutes.
Océane Hurtré pulled one back for the hosts on 89 minutes, but it was too little, too late, as Palace left the Midlands with all three points.
Blanchard opened the scoring on 29 minutes after a wonderful Palace counter-attack.
Larkin nodded Hayley Nolan's chipped ball around the Birmingham defender, and Molly-Mae Sharpe was there to run in behind.
Sharpe took one touch and cut the ball across to Blanchard, who tucked it home superbly after arriving late in the box.
Things then got even better for Potter's side, as Larkin doubled the lead on 43 minutes.
Good combination play saw Weerden pick the ball up on the left, and loft a cross to the back post.
Larkin leapt highest in the box, and powered a header beyond Adrianna Franch to make it 2-0 before the break.
It was a pivotal goal for Palace in the game, and it also made Larkin joint top goalscorer in the WSL2.
The Eagles were happy to just soak up pressure in the second-half, with the Palace defence dealing with everything that the Blues threw at them.
Then, on 80 minutes, Palace got their third, with substitute Hughes popping up with a goal.
Weerden was released on the counter-attack, and she squared the ball to Hughes, who took a touch and passed the ball beyond Franch.
Birmingham did manage to score on 89 minutes, but Palace held firm to claim all three points.
This result moves Palace up to third-place in the WSL2, just a point off of Birmingham City in second-place.
The team will now be on international break, with the next home fixture on Sunday, 15th March against Nottingham Forest.
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Birmingham City: Franch (GK), Harris (Quinn, 90+4), Leidhammar (Lee, 84), Hopcroft (Miyagawa, 84), Holloway, Crosthwaite, McKenna, Cornet, Lindström (Louis, 84), Sarri (Hurtré, 45) Herron
Subs not used: Thomas (GK), Silcock, Cooke, Harrison-Murray
Palace: Yañez (GK), Napier, Cato, Everett, Sharpe (Swaby, 63) Howat (Hughes, 63), Weerden, Nolan, Ladd (Littlejohn, 90+2), Blanchard (Vanhaevermaet, 81) Larkin (Brown, 90+2)
Subs not used: Annets (GK), Arthur, Brady, Newell