Crystal Palace Ladies FC

With a few weeks until the cup final and the league programme completed the development reserves played the first, of what we hope will be, a few ‘friendlies’ and they turned on the style against our old rivals Beecholme Belles.

Palace started a bit on the slow side as Beecholme enjoyed much of the early possession but they soon got into gear and took the lead through Okasia Brown in the 18th min, she received a pass from Chrissy Damianides and hit a subline volley that looped over the keeper into the top corner. Palace held the lead until the break thanks to some heroic defending from Lucy Baker, Abi Deene, Sadiye Yilmaz, Connie Lowman and Hannah Donnelly, time and time again they thwarted attacks from the lively front four.

The second half saw Palace dominate against a tiring Beecholme side who had played no football for 4 weeks, in the 50th min Brown played in Bekki Keyte who took out 3 defenders with one exquisite touch inside leaving them tied in knots, she then calmly slotted past the advancing keeper for 2-0, Ella Aylett then went on a mazy run down the left and fed Keely Nazareth in the box, she made no mistake for 3-0. Brown then completed a brace with another fine effort from the edge of the box before Beecholme pulled one back with a stunning strike from 25 yards that Donnelly got a glove to but couldn’t keep out. An own goal made it 5-1 and our girls walked off the pitch knowing that they had produced a stunning team performance.

A thoroughly deserved victory that was down to deadly accurate finishing, fine passing movements and an excellent defensive performance, in particular, the centre back pairing of Baker and Deene who were solid as a rock and worked so well together as a partnership and cut out the threat offered by a very good Beecholme front two. Top team performance all round!!!