Women’s football round-up: Palace lose WSL fixture at Manchester United – London City pushing hard for top spot in Championship
edmund@slpmedia.co.uk Crystal Palace’s dismal Women’s Super League campaign continued on Sunday as they fell to a 3-1 defeat at Manchester United.
Elisabeth Terland opened the scoring after nine minutes at Leigh Sports Village but Mille Gejl equalised for the Eagles seven minutes before the end of the first half.
Terland netted again midway through the second half and Grace Clinton wrapped up the three points for United five minutes before the end of normal time.
Last season’s Championship title winners are still bottom of the table and have won just once all season. They are four points from safety.
“We did well to get back in it,” said Eagles boss Laura Kaminski.
“It was 1-1 at half-time and we knew that we had something to hold on to – we were in the game.
“The overall performance we were quite happy with. But we caused our own mistakes on the ball and there were individual errors.
“We will go away and look at that. But we have come here away from home and put in a performance we can be quite proud of.
“They were great with the way they kept at us for the whole game. We caused them some problems and we’re going to need that in the coming weeks.
“It’s a performance we can build on the back of.”
Charlton Athletic recorded their third straight Championship win of the season on Sunday with an emphatic 5-0 win over bottom of the table Portsmouth.
Goals from Charlotte Newsham, Jodie Hutton, Emma Bissell and a brace from Ellie Brazil saw the Addicks stay five points behind league leaders Birmingham City.
London City Lionesses stayed in second and one point behind the Blues after they beat Sunderland 2-0 on Sunday. Isobel Goodwin and Kosovare Asllani both scored in the first half to seal the three points for Jocelyn Precheur’s side, who have one game in hand over league rivals Durham and Birmingham.
Millwall secured a 3-1 victory over Ashford on Sunday in the London and South East Women’s Regional Football League.
Millie Connell, Shannan Drewe and Ciara Sherwood all found the back of the net for Ted Jones’ side.
Lauren James scored a late 93rd-minute winner for Chelsea on Sunday as they beat Everton 2-1 at Kingsmedow.
Mayra Ramirez scored for the Blues in the 62nd minute to cancel out Kelly Gago’s opener.
The game looked set to end in a draw but James took aim from distance to snatch all three points.
Chelsea remain unbeaten under Sonia Bompastor and seven points clear of title rivals Manchester United.
Bompastor said: “I’m really impressed with Lauren James because what she does on the pitch when she has the ball is incredible.
“I’m really pleased because we started this season talking together and I told her that I really wanted her to be impactful for the team.
“If she was not on the pitch we probably could not have won the game.
“The talent is really helpful in that situation.
“She could show her talent with the ball, but also she works really hard for the team and I think that’s something really good.
“As a player, I think her team-mates also value that and I think that’s really important.”
PICTURES: ALAMY