Women’s football round-up: Delight for Karen Hills as Charlton earn derby bragging right over Crystal Palace

BY EDMUND BRACK
edmund@slpmedia.co.uk

Charlton Women ended Crystal Palace’s unbeaten start to the 2023-24 Championship campaign after claiming a 3-2 win at The Valley on Sunday afternoon.

The Addicks went ahead after Angela Addison opened the scoring after 14 minutes, but Laura Kaminski’s Eagles equalised through Elise Hughes 10 minutes later.

Charlton took the lead again with four minutes remaining in the first half via Kaleigh Green.

The visitors ensured the sides went in level at half-time after Araya Dennis found a way beyond Sian Rogers.

Melissa Johnson scored in the 76th minute to ensure Charlton claimed the South London bragging rights and leapfrogged Palace, moving to fourth in the table.

Hills said: “It was a great local derby. I’m so pleased for the girls. They have worked so hard and we deserved the three points.

“The goals that we scored were outstanding. We helped them create their goals. After every time we scored, they looked ready and up for scoring. Palace took those moments and came back into the game.

“We have a fantastic bench and we knew that we were going to be able to make some changes.

“All the players worked so, so hard.

“The girls saw the game out in a great fashion. Overall, it’s a great win for us at The Valley.

“I say to the players: ‘Don’t look too far ahead. Don’t look at the table – just focus on the next game in hand’.

“Thankfully the players have done that in this block of games and they deserve the 10 points out of 12.”

The next round of Championship matches does not take place until the start of November.

Charlton head to Lewes on November 3 (7pm).

Palace will look to bounce back at Watford on November 5 (2pm).

Millwall Lionesses demolished Margate 13-0 in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup last Sunday.

Liv McGregor opened the scoring after 11 minutes.

Shannan Drewe’s cross, which deflected off a Margate player, swiftly added a second.

Emma Whitter added a third a minute later when she turned Drewe’s cross home.

Drewe then bagged her second in the 17th minute, with Ella Bailey adding a fifth soon after.

Grace Laverick got herself on the scoresheet in the 21st minute when she turned Drewe’s delivery into the net.

McGregor recorded her brace nine minutes later.

Whitter added her second and Millwall’s eighth before half-time with a finish from close range.

McGregor bagged her hat-trick in the 67th minute, with Whitter then adding a third goal for herself and Millwall’s 10th of the afternoon eight minutes later.

Drewe picked up her hat-trick ball with 13 minutes of normal time remaining.

An own goal and a strike from Ellen Napper rounded off the scoring as the Lionesses progressed through to the first round proper of the competition.

Co-caretaker managers Adam Rowland and Alex Russell have extended their winning run to four games since taking over from Keith Boanas.

Millwall host Crawley AFC on Sunday (1.30pm) in the London & South East Regional Women’s Premier Division.

AFC Wimbledon also booked their place in the first round of the FA Cup following a 3-2 win at Worthing, with goals from Emily Donovan, Ellie Dorey and Ashlee Hincks seeing them progress.

Donovan finished from close range after Hincks’ free-kick was pushed on to the crossbar by the goalkeeper.

Becki Bath levelled to make it 1-1 at the interval.

A last-ditch tackle denied Dorey early in the second half but then she slotted a lovely finish home after pushing through a crowd of defenders.

Dorey then turned supplier for the Dons’ last goal, the prolific Hincks finishing sweetly.

Wimbledon host Worthing in the WPL on Sunday (2pm).

PICTURES: KEITH GILLARD