Women's football news
Lewes 1-1 Crystal Palace
FA Women’s Championship
8th Sept 2019
Lewes continued their unbeaten run in the Women’s Championship but will be slightly disappointed to earn just a point against a hard-working Crystal Palace.
Lewes looked to make an early impact on the game, when on two minutes Zoe Ness fired a shot that was well saved by Lucy Gillett in the Crystal Palace goal.
Only a minute later Lewes had another chance, when Jess King had her shot saved after some good work down the wing by Katie Rood. Seconds later Rood was causing chaos again when she played a ball across the box, but Ness could only fire over.
On eight minutes Palace had their first chance when Ashleigh Goddard played the ball across the six-yard box, but somehow nobody managed to get a touch to divert it goalward.
Two minutes later and it was the Eagles again with another chance. A shot was fired on target, but Faye Baker leaped to her right to get her fingertips to the ball and tip it on to the post.
The next major chance didn’t come until just after the half-hour mark. King picked up the ball after it was thrown into her and as it was bouncing it was there to be hit and her effort was well saved by Gillett.
On 38 minutes Ellie Noble whipped in a great corner that had both pace and precision, but again Gillett was there to prevent Lewes from scoring the opener.
In the closing stages of the first half Ness and King linked up yet again as the former was played through on goal, but a great sliding tackle prevented the number 10 from getting her shot away.
The second half started the same as the first, with the Rooks looking to take the lead. Ness made a charging run down the left-wing and drew the keeper out of her goal then she squared the ball to Dani Lane, but the defender intercepted it before it could reach the attacker.
On 53 minutes Katie Rood found herself in acres of space on the right-hand side as she cut in, but her left foot low effort was easily held by the Palace keeper.
15 minutes later Crystal Palace took the lead in controversial circumstances. A ball was floated into the box and an under-pressure Baker looked set to catch it but Lewes players were convinced the keeper was impeded as Goddard poked the ball into the net.
The Rooks did not have their confidence damaged by the goal, as only a minute later King scored the equaliser. Her initial shot was saved by Gillett, but the rebound fell kindly, and she was able to loop the ball over everyone and into the net.
In the final minutes of the game Ness almost scored the winner as she collected a long clearance and crossed the ball to the back post, but King couldn’t quite reach it.
Final score: 1-1
Lewes Starting XI: Baker; Quayle, McIntyre (C), Cleverley (Hayes 77), Boswell, Noble, Lane (Savva 88), Ness, King Rood, Emma Jones (Donovan 60)
Subs not used: Foster, Emily Jones, Taylor, Rowbotham
Goal: King 68
Yellow Card: Emma Jones 55,
Crystal Palace Starting XI: Gillett; Johnson, Pepper, Goddard, Mackenzie, Rutherford L, Georgiou (Hurley 64), Goddard, Baptiste, Hincks (C) (Mosengo 13) (Laudat 81), Rutherford E
Subs not used: Watling, Butler, Khassal, Gibbons
Goal: Goddard 67
Yellow Cards: Baptiste 42, Georgiou 54, L Rutherford 61, Mackenzie 69
Attendance: 705
NEXT HOME MATCH
Sunday 22nd September, 2pm
Lewes v Crystal Palace (again)
Continental League Cup
Advance tickets are cheaper! Right here