FA Women’s Championship: Dean Davenport slams ‘coasting’ Palace as they let Watford back into contest

Excellent finishes from Kirsty Barton and Sophie McLean had the Eagles coasting, but Ylenia Priest and Anaisa Harney struck late on to give the hosts their first-ever point in the FA Women’s Championship.

Palace took some time to find their feet, but Kirsty Barton eventually got them ticking, her ability to retain possession bringing wide players Siobhan Wilson and Bianca Baptise into the game.

And it was Barton who opened the scoring with a brilliant curled effort into the top-left hand corner after she had seen her initial effort thwarted by Georgie Ferguson.

Feeding on scraps, Hornets captain Helen Ward ran tirelessly across the frontline to work an opportunity for Rosie Kmita to deliver a teasing ball into the path of Flo Fyfe, who could only volley harmlessly wide.

Palace should have been two up moments later when Baptiste released Coral-Jade Haines, but she was denied by a brave low stop from the advancing Ferguson.

Molly Mae-Sharpe cracked one off the bar just before the break as Palace ratcheted up the pressure before McLean added a slick second. She met a perfectly-timed slide pass from Haines, to make no mistake from 10 yards.

But Clinton Lancaster’s side rallied in some style. Substitute Harney headed wide despite being all alone in front of goal before Priest stabbed home after Palace failed to deal with a corner.
Watford were level just seven minutes later. Emily Orman failed to cling on to a routine Kmita cross, and Harney needed no second invite to lash home, ensuring derby day honours ended even.

Palace boss Davenport said: “My exact word at full-time was ‘coasting’ because that was unacceptable to be winning 2-0, playing some really good football and not see the game out.

“When we concede the first, a little bit of panic sets in for reasons we don’t know why, and it’s just unacceptable when we’re cruising.

“We stopped playing as units and once you do that, that’s when it gets a little disjointed.

“The first goal came from a set-piece when it’s bouncing around in the box and we don’t clear it – we were too hesitant. And the second goal is a gift, and we can’t keep giving presents.

“We should be seeing games out and we should be further up the league. We’ve totally changed as a football club and as a football team in trying to play more and we look dangerous, but I am really disappointed.

“The game should have been dead and buried, even in the first half, with the chances we created.”

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