Crystal Palace win FA Women’s Championship derby clash against Charlton Athletic

A brace from Millie Farrow and a goal from Kirsty Barton helped Crystal Palace to a narrow 3-2 win against Charlton in the FA Women’s Championship.

Goals from Hollie Olding and Jess King pulled Karen Hills’ side back into the game, but they extended their winless run to five games in all competitions.

Charlton almost took the lead within five minutes after Bethan Roe’s resulting corner met Hannah Godrey, whose diving header was superbly blocked on the goaline.

The breakthrough came for Palace in the 10th minute. Siobhan Wilson’s driving effort was blocked by Cumings, before Farrow converted the rebound to give Palace the lead.

Cumings make another outstanding save to deny Annabel Johnson following Wilson’s free-kick to keep her side in the game.

Palace claimed a two-goal cushion before half-time, when some patient build-up play saw Wilson execute an accurate cross that was headed home by Barton in the 43rd minute.

Emma Follis’ cross was nodded on by Quirk at the near post for Olding to slot the ball into the net to put the visitors back into the game with 20 minutes remaining.

Palace immediately restored their two-goal lead as a lapse in concentration from the Charlton backline gifted the ball to Farrow, who rounded Cumings to score.

Karen Hills’ side pulled another goal back in stoppage time through King.

Crystal Palace manager Dean Davenport said: “The first half was fantastic, we played some really great football. Same as last week, going in with two goals before half-time was a fair reflection of the way we played.

“It wasn’t a surprise that we went in front, but the major thing is we scored the second goal at the right time. But defensively in the first half, to keep hold of the two-nil lead towards the break where we showed some of our fantastic defensive work from our defenders.

“The goal-line clearance was vital because it keeps the result as it is and we as a team have added that to our game which we didn’t have last year – that steel to defend our six-yard box. For Kirsty Barton to take that off the line was a major plus for us because like I said, it takes us into the half time lead with a two-nil lead.

“The plus side is that we are now six games unbeaten. You have not seen the best of us yet.”
Charlton manager Hills said: “We can’t give a team the two-goal headstart and unfortunately it cost us today. We tried to get back into the game, which we did. Disappointing performance today and we need to be better.

“It was a good header from Hannah Godfrey from a corner and they saved it off the line. It could have looked very different if we went a goal up. It wasn’t good enough today in both boxes.

“We knew Palace would give us opportunities to nick the ball in dangerous areas and it’s down to us and our ability to be on the front foot in creating those opportunities. We didn’t capitalise on those chances.

“In the second half, the team knew we had a game in our hands and was going to be an uphill battle. We thought that we’ve done better in the second half and made some changes which made a little bit of an impact. We worked on set pieces and we knew we could hurt them in those wide areas. However, it just comes down to the fine details and they were better than us today.”

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PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD