Report & Highlights: Palace Women make it five in a row against Durham
Crystal Palace Women continued their fine league form with a 4-0 win over Durham in the Barclays Women's Super League 2.
Summary:
- Ladd earns her first home start for the club, whilst Newell is included in the squad for the first time since joining.
- 11: Jones tries a snapshot from outside the box
- 20: Flowing Palace move sees Howat receive the ball in a dangerous area, but the Durham defence manage to intercept in time
- 36: Sharpe almost scores on the volley directly from a corner, but her effort is over the bar
- 41: Hughes goes close to putting Palace ahead, but her shot is too high
- 45: Blanchard finds Hughes superbly, but her touch is too heavy
- 45+2: Sharpe's back post header is just wide of the post
- HT: Palace 0 - 0 Durham
- 52: A whipped cross from Sharpe evades everyone in the Durham box
- 56: Yañez tips over a fierce effort from Speckmaier
- 59: Howat is set clean through and rounds the goalkeeper, but cannot convert the chance
- 60: GOAL - Weerden lofts a cross to the back post, where Sharpe takes a touch and buries her effort
- 68: GOAL - Blanchard doubles her lead after she reacts quickest to Sheppard's spill
- 76: GOAL - Sharpe makes it three with a close finish in the box
- 89: Brady almost nabs a goal on her debut, but Durham recover in time
- 90+4: GOAL - Larkin caps off a fine display with a determined finish at the back post
- FT: Palace 4 - 0 Durham
Palace Women extended their league win streak to five in front of a jubliant VBS Community Stadium, as goals from Molly-Mae Sharpe, Annabel Blanchard and Abbie Larkin sealed a dominant 4-0 win at home.
The Eagles were frustrated by a resolute Durham defence for the first hour, but after Sharpe put Palace ahead on 60 minutes - the floodgates opened.
Goals from Blanchard and Larkin as well as a second for Sharpe would follow, as Palace marked their first 2026 home game with a win.
It was goalless at the break, but Palace really should have been in front.
Kirsty Howat had a great opportunity to open her 2026 account on 20 minutes after Elise Hughes had played her in, but the Durham defence managed to scramble the ball away before she could strike it.
16 minutes later and Molly-Mae Sharpe almost scored a Goal of the Season contender, as she caught Ashleigh Weerden's corner on the volley.
Palace's record appearance maker could not keep her strike down though, and the volley whistled over the bar.
Hughes then had two great chances within two minutes but her touch let her down on both occasions.
Play resumed after the break and it looked for all the world that Howat would put Palace ahead after being put clean through on 59 minutes, but she couldn't convert her chance after rounding the goalkeeper.
The Eagles managed to edge in front just one minute later though, with Sharpe breaking the deadlock.
Weerden, who had been causing havoc on the left-wing, beat her defender and lofted a cross to the back post.
The ball landed at Sharpe's feet, and Palace's number eight took one touch and buried the ball in the bottom corner with her left foot.
It didn't take long for Palace to get the second either, as Annabel Blanchard doubled home advantage on 68 minutes.
Substitute Abbie Larkin was brought on and quickly made an impact on the game, racing down the right-wing and whipping a dangerous cross in.
Durham stopper Catriona Sheppard spilled Larkin's ball, and there was Blanchard to slam the ball home for 2-0.
Palace wouldn't stop there though, as Sharpe doubled her tally on 76 minutes.
Larkin was causing trouble in the Durham box and her effort was deflected fortuitously into Sharpe's path.
Sharpe made no mistake, and converted from close range to make it 3-0 to Palace.
Durham pushed for a goal, but Shae Yañez stood firm time and time again to claim yet another clean sheet.
With the game approaching it's end, Weerden raced through and flashed a perfect cross to the back post.
Waiting to meet her pass was Larkin, who tapped home and added a fourth for Palace.
This result moves Palace up to fourth-place in the WSL2, currently level on points with third-place Bristol City.
Palace return to the VBS on Sunday, 8th February where they take on Bristol City at 14:00.
You can get your tickets for this game by clicking below!
Palace: Yañez (GK), Napier, Cato (Vanhaevermaet, 87), Everett, Sharpe, Hughes (Brady, 81), Howat (Larkin, 63), Weerden, Nolan (Arthur, 87), Ladd, Blanchard (Brown, 81)
Subs not used: Annets, Sibley, Riley, Newell
Durham: Sheppard (GK), Ayre, Briggs (Collinson, 86), Toland, Wilson, Hepple, Lambert, Ede (Watson, 71) Speckmaier (Blake, 81), Foster, Jones (McFarland, 71)
Subs not used: King (GK), Robson, Watson, Coulson