A hard fought battle Sunday afternoon at Hayes Lane saw the girls in royal blue grab all three points. Up front we are looking superb and great to see Claudia Walker getting back on the scoresheet. There are some problems in defence that was worrying especially the second goal but a win is a win and that’s all you can ask for at this time of the season .

FIRST HALF

The first chance of the game came for the hosts when some good play for Palace down the right wing ,Polly Doran’s cut back to Molly Mae but she couldn’t find the net.

Then Blues ruthlessness came into play with three goals in five minutes. The first came in the ninth minute was from leading goalscorer Jade Pennock when it come with a great counter attacker with the really Impressive Charlie Devlin who found Jade Pennock who fired it into the bottom corner.

Then it was 0-2 in the 11^th minute the really impressive Devlin got her second assist of day when she played in Claudia Walker. Her first attempt that came back of the post but it came back and she slotted it home.

Then three minutes later it was three this time Jade Pennock got the ball and played it across to Lucy Quinn to make it 0-3 Blues where in dreamland .

It could have been 0-4 to us when Claudia Walker played it into the inform Pennock who was making her 50^th appearance for the club but her shot went past the post in the 21^st minute.

it was the Eagles turn to have a shot at goal when Anna Filbey freekick hit the Blues wall and rebounded back to her but her effort was comfortably saved from Lucy Thomas in the 24^thminute.

Blues again came close when Pennock’s cross found the head of Claudia Walker but her header was off target in the 30^th minute.

In the 36^th minute a lifeline for the hosts when Annabel Blanchard played a brilliant cut back to find Coral-Jade Haines who shot found the bottom corner pass Thomas.

Crystal Palace were finally getting to grips with the game and they could have got a penalty in the 38^th but it was waved away from Referee James Durkin .

But it was definitely on in the 42^nd minute when Annabel Johnson played a lovely pass over the top of the Blues defence and Molly Mae dinked it over Lucy Thomas to make it 2-3.

HALF TIME CRYSTAL PALACE 2-3 BLUES

SECOND HALF

Blues had the first chance of the second half when Jade Pennock thought she had another brace but was called of for offside.

The next chance of the half came for Crystal Palace in the 65^th minute when Anna Filbey shot went over the bar.

Blues then put the game to bed in the 68^th minute when Olivia Mcloughlin did brilliantly to get the ball over into the box and was smashed into the back off the net from Claudia Walker.

The next chance came for Blues again in the 73^rdminute when Lucy Quinn’s corner was met form Harriett Scott but it went wide.

The last chance of the game came for Blues when substuite Libby Smith shot was saved from Frances Kitching .

FULL TIME CRYSTAL PALACE 2-4 BLUES

MY THOUGHTS ON THE GAME

The three goals in five minutes was the ruthlessness that I wanted to see early on in the new year especially against Sunderland and more importantly the two losses against London City Lionesses. Yes we are still in with a shout but it is unlikely cause Bristol City’s 0-4 win over the Black Cats on Sunday afternoon are finding the form that they needed but who knows, this is way we love football anything can happen. It looks like its going to be a exciting end to the Championship season also with London City dropping points this afternoon to Southampton Blues with a win in midweek against Durham can go second.

POM

I would usually go for the goal scorers for their ruthlessness today but I have to go for Charlie Devlin those first two goals in the first half was all down to her especially the second one with the high press to give it to Walker to get her second assist of the day well done Charlie .

NEXT UP

A double header against Durham the first to be played at St Andrews on Wednesday at 7:00 PM .

KRO STEPHEN GILL