Crystal Palace Ladies FC

Eager to get going after the Christmas break Palace Development reserves travelled to Chertsey and put in a truly wonderful, committed display, playing some of the best passing football from the defence, through midfield to the strikers seen so far this season.
It took just 6 mins for our girls to stamp their mark on this game and it was a corner by Okasia Brown that was returned to her by Alice Fuller, Brown swung over a cross that was met by a glancing header from Bekki Keyte, Abi Deene latched onto it but her volley hit the post, Deene was quickest to react and smacked in the rebound for 1-0. It took a while for Palace to completely stamp their authority on the game but they were given a boost in the 38th min when Keyte burst into the box only to be brought down, the ref pointed to the spot and Deene confidently stroked home the penalty for her second of the game, 2 mins later Keyte was blatantly brought down in the box again, although this time a penalty was denied and the half ended 2-0

The second half saw a real pass and move master class from our girls as they really turned on the style, although, Chertsey almost pulled a goal back against the run of play when the striker broke through only to be denied by an excellent save by Hannah Donnelly but Palace soon took control and Tyra Wilson scored the goal of the game which was a real coaches’ dream, Lucy Baker broke up play and spread it wide to Ella Aylett, what followed was a truly wonderful 13 pass move ending in a fantastic swiveled finish by Wilson from an acute angle that crept over the line for 3-0. Connie Lowman came on for the excellent Ash Marchant on 60 mins and was instrumental in the 4th goal by playing a great pass to Anais Reynolds who slotted in Brown through the right channel, she took a shot that the keeper parried straight into the path of Wilson to stroke home her second of the game. The hosts pulled one back against the run of play in the 70th min when the striker outpaced the back 4 to slot home. Next it was Sadiye Yilmaz who tested the excellent keeper with a strike from 25 yards, she tipped wide but from the resulting corner Brown took a short one and received it back from Fuller, Brown whipped in another vicious cross and Deene finished to complete her hat trick and a comprehensive 5-1 win for our girls. Keyte should have probably won another penalty in the final minutes but was, again, denied by a lenient referee.

The development reserves really turned it on today as they looked eager to get back into routine. Some of the passing football was truly phenomenal and gave them the victory they fully deserved, but more importantly, stands them in good stead for the remainder of what is becoming a very challenging season. It has to be said that the Chertsey keeper was player of the match today, rescuing her side on many occasions, a true testament to the pressure applied throughout the game from a truly committed and together squad.