Report: Palace Women defeated by resolute Sheffield United

Summary:

• Hopcroft comes into the side and Cato retains her place as Palace look to bounce back from last week's defeat.
• 7: GOAL - Reavill heads in from a corner
• 18: Blanchard's effort stings the gloves of Rogers
• 25: Blanchard forces another save
• 28: GOAL - Andrews rounds the 'keeper and scores
• 36: Blanchard's shot whistles wide
• 43: Cato gets in behind but her shot deflects into the path of Rogers who smothers the ball
• HT: Palace 0-2 Sheffield United
• 48: Hughes arrives late, but her finish is tipped over the bar
• 51: GOAL - Howat pulls one back with a fine finish
• 64: Hughes takes aim but her strike flashes past the right post
• 75: Poor challenge from Devlin leads to a booking
• FT: Palace 1-2 Sheffield United

Palace Women lost 2-1 to a determined Sheffield United side at home in the Barclays Women's Super League 2.

The Eagles were down 2-0 at half-time after goals from Jessica Reavill and Amy Andrews.

Kirsty Howat halved the deficit on 51 minutes but despite a multitude of chances, Palace could not find the equaliser.

The Blades' opener came via a corner that was flicked on to the back post where Reavill was standing to nod home a seventh minute goal for the visitors.

Annabel Blanchard went close twice soon after that, with both of her efforts coming from outside the box, and both stinging the gloves of Sian Rogers in the Sheffield United net.

United then doubled their advantage on 28 minutes after Andrews received the ball whilst through on goal, rounded the 'keeper, and passed the ball into an open goal.

Palace had the chance to get one back just before half-time as My Cato brought the ball down inside the box, but the midfielder could not get her finish right.

Palace started brightly in the second-half, and Howat managed to grab a goal back on 51 minutes.

The Scotland international received the ball on the edge of the box, and curled a peach beyond the goalkeeper and into the bottom corner.

The second-half was all Palace, but the finish just wouldn't come at the VBS.

Elise Hughes tested the 'keeper with a fine effort on 64 minutes, and with an acrobatic effort 20 minutes later, but neither would nestle in the Sheffield United net.

It ended 2-1, with the result leaving Palace in 11th place in the WSL2.

Next up for the Eagles is an away trip to Ipswich Town, and you can get tickets for that game by clicking the button below.

Palace: Yañez (GK), Napier (Sibley, 83), Cato, Everett, Hughes, Howat, Weerden (Vanhaevermaet, 90+1), Nolan, Blanchard, Hopcroft (Larkin, 45), Swaby

Subs not used: Annets, Riley, Littlejohn

Sheffield United: Rogers (GK), Cowan, Lafayette, Kinzett, Andrews (Thomas, 88), Devlin (Bristow, 80), O'Rourke, George, Rouse, Butler, Reavill

Subs not used: Aherne (GK), Parker-Smith, Foy, Thompson