The complete story of Palace Women's incredible 2023/24 season.

How they did it

## Annabel Blanchard

> Blanchard joined Palace on the back of a remarkable season with Blackburn Rovers in which she earned both Coaches' and Supporters' Player of the Season.

Blanchard is a young, two-footed forward who began her career aged just 16 with Liverpool.

She began her time with the England youth setup the year before and has represented the national side from Under-17-Under-19 levels.

After leaving Liverpool she joined Leicester City and then Blackburn Rovers, with whom she finished joint-top goalscorer in 21/22.

September 2023

Championship Player of the Month

Championship Goal of the Month

Blackburn Rovers, 2021/22

Coaches' Player of the Season

Supporters' Player of the Season

February 2023

Crystal Palace Player of the Month

Shirts

Twitter

Instagram

Appearances

Goals

Goals Inside Box

Goals Outside Box

Right Foot

Left Foot

Shots

Shots on target

Hit woodwork

Penalties taken

Penalties scored

Touches

Touches in opposition box

Aerial duels

Aerial duels won

Interceptions

Blocks

Recoveries

Tackles won

Duels won

Clearances

Minutes

Attempted passes

Successful passes

Chances created

Crosses

Yellow cards

Red cards

Fouls won

Fouls Conceded

Season

Games

### Summary:

- Two changes for Kaminski's side from last week, as Aspin and Woodham replace Everett and Gibbons in defence
- Stengel reacts quickest after a defensive mix-up to put the Eagles in front
- Liverpool break quickly but the Palace defence are able to recover and clear their lines
- Blanchard is found brilliantly by Gejl but Laws is able to smother the ball
- Kapocs levels after a fortunate rebound lands at her feet
- The ball finds kindly to Stengel but the shot is just over the bar
- **HT: Liverpool 1-1 Palace**
- Riley arrives late at the back post but her shot misses the mark
- Stengel spins in the box but her shot is deflected for a corner
- Smith hits the post with a fierce shot from outside the box
- **FT: Liverpool 1-1 Palace**

Palace took the lead 14 minutes in, after Stengel turned the ball in after a mix-up at the back for Liverpool.

Annabel Blanchard was close to making it 2-0 on 36 minutes, after she was found by a brilliant Mille Gejl through ball, but the Liverpool goalkeeper was able to smother the ball.

Despite their strong first half performance, Liverpool equalised a minute later after a fortunate rebound landed in the path of Cornelia Kapocs, who finished from close range.

Stengel had a great chance just before the break as the ball fell kindly to her in the box, but she could not keep the ball down.

Liverpool came out stronger in the second half, with Olivia Smith hitting the post with a powerful effort on 49 minutes.

The home side improved in the second half, but Palace defended resolutely and earned a deserved point at Liverpool.

**Liverpool:** Laws (GK), Evans, Bonner, Matthews, Parry (Fisk, 63), Höbinger, Nagano, Kapocs, Hinds (Clark, 45) , Enderby, Smith.

Subs not used: Fahey, Silcock, Holland, Duffy, Daniels, Kiernan

**Palace:** Yañez (GK), Aspin (Gibbons, 66), Veje, Woodham (Weerden, 90), Green, Cato (Larkin, 90), Gejl (Hopcroft, 76), Potter, Blanchard, Riley, Stengel.

Subs not used: Majasaari, Arthur, Sharpe, Atkinson.

Crystal Palace Women battled to a hard-fought point away at Liverpool, as Katie Stengel gets her first goal for the club.

Report: Palace Women earn deserved point away at Liverpool

Liverpool Women v Crystal Palace Women (2024-10-20)

Crystal Palace Women

English Women's Super League

Liverpool Women

Last Match

Manchester City Women

Next Match

EXPLORE PALACE WOMEN

Speaking to BBC Radio London after the 0-1 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion, Gibbons spoke of the team's desire to assert themselves in the WSL.

She said: "I think there are a lot of people who have written us off already, but we have come up, and we're here to stay.

"We don’t want to just make up the numbers, so we're doing everything we can. There were a lot of changes over the summer with new signings that have added a lot of quality to our squad, and we're all working hard on the training pitch to ensure we don’t go back down."

Reflecting on the recent victory and clean sheet against Leicester, Gibbons said: "We are going into every single game trying to get three points. 

"It was a good boost to get the three points and the clean sheet at Leicester. But we're just looking to build every single week; we’re not getting ahead of ourselves with that win.

"This was another good performance from us today, but at the end of the day, it was no points. 

"We will definitely be learning from that and looking to improve."

Palace Women’s next match is away against Liverpool on **Sunday, 20th November**, at **14:00** at **St Helen's Stadium.** [Tickets for that fixture are available here](https://www.eticketing.co.uk/cpfc/EDP/Event/Index/487?position=1)

Despite the loss to Brighton, Fliss Gibbons believes that Palace are committed to making their mark in the Barclays Women’s Super League.

Gibbons reacts to Palace's spirited defeat against Brighton

Crystal Palace Women v Brighton and Hove Albion Women (2024-10-13)

With renewed confidence after a first win against Leicester, the Eagles went toe-to-toe with a high-flying Brighton side throughout the 90 minutes at the VBS Community Stadium – and could consider themselves unfortunate to finish on the losing side after conceding a controversial goal shortly before half-time.

Nevertheless, having recorded more shots – and arguably created more chances – than their opposition, head coach Kaminski was pleased with the overall performance.

“I'm disappointed, obviously, because I thought we really gave them a run for their money and they're a team at the moment that's flying,” she told Palace TV.

“I thought today the players gave a fantastic group performance again. We've got two back-to-back performances now where we've done extremely well. We're finding our feet, I've said that before, but at a rapid pace – we look like we belonged in the WSL today.

“I thought they had their backs to the wall in the last 10 to 15 minutes as well. We had a lot of momentum and got some shots off. To be fair to them, they defended their box well in terms of blocking and their ‘keeper as well – she made some good interventions.

“There’s lots to build on, but we're disappointed we didn't get the points today because the performance really did deserve something.”

Laura reflects on close loss against Brighton

In terms of positives to take from the display, Kaminski highlighted: “We made loads of adaptations in the week. We made quite a lot of tweaks to the style and more to the system, I should say. I thought they applied those, they got the gameplan bang on.

“I thought we could have been a little bit cleaner with the ball in the first-half, which I spoke to them about half-time. And again, they've come out second-half, been a lot cleaner and brighter on the ball than they are. They penned Brighton back and caused them some problems.

“There are loads of positives to take. The players are disappointed because a performance like that does deserve something, but we've just got to really back ourselves on the fact that if we keep performing like that, it will come.”

Next up – Palace’s final match before the first international break of the season – is  a trip to face Liverpool at St Helens Stadium on Sunday, 20th October (14:00 BST). [Tickets for that fixture are available here](https://www.eticketing.co.uk/cpfc/EDP/Event/Index/487?PublishLoginDataLayer=true).

“They're doing well as well,” Kaminski said of fifth-placed Liverpool. “They're not to be underestimated. They’ve a very good manager, Matt Beard, who’s very clever.

“We have to make sure we get the measure of that right, but the players should now be full of confidence. There were a lot of fans here today who had a great game of football to watch and ultimately that's what we want to bring.

“It was our first game here this season at the VBS. I thought the atmosphere was great. It deserved to be, because the players really gave it their all.”

Laura Kaminski says Crystal Palace looked a bona fide Women’s Super League outfit in Sunday’s match against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Match reports

Match reports

Report: Palace Women earn deserved point away at Liverpool

Latest News

Gibbons reacts to Palace's spirited defeat against Brighton

Kaminski: We’re now finding our feet at this level

Latest Videos

Pre-Match Press conference vs Liverpool WSL

Palace Womens Media Day (Behind The Scenes)

Laura reflects on close loss against Brighton

Pre-Match Press conference vs Brighton WSL

Blanchard reacts to WSL brace

WSL Highlights: Leicester City 0-2 Crystal Palace

10Annabel
Blanchard

Match reports

Match reports

Report: Palace Women earn deserved point away at Liverpool

Latest News

Gibbons reacts to Palace's spirited defeat against Brighton

Kaminski: We’re now finding our feet at this level

Latest Videos

Pre-Match Press conference vs Liverpool WSL

Palace Womens Media Day (Behind The Scenes)

Laura reflects on close loss against Brighton

Pre-Match Press conference vs Brighton WSL

Blanchard reacts to WSL brace

WSL Highlights: Leicester City 0-2 Crystal Palace

10AnnabelBlanchard

10Annabel
Blanchard