Report: Palace Women settle for draw against Newcastle

Summary:

• Green comes into the side, as Potter makes one change from last week's draw against Durham
• 4: Blanchard's snapshot whistles over the bar
• 9: Larkin has plenty of options in the box, but Liefting is able to smother her pass to Hughes
• 26: Cataldo's effort flies just wide of the left post
• 27: Weerden's dinked cross bounces off the top of the crossbar
• 45: Blanchard's long-range strike is saved by Liefting
• HT: Palace 0-0 Newcastle
• 55: GOAL - Howat nods home a wonderful floated cross from the left-side
• 67: Murphy is put through, but her shot rolls wide
• 69: Weerden's corner is volleyed just over by Vanhaevermaet
• 72: GOAL - Sharpe doubles Palace's advantage just moments after coming on
• 85: The ball bounces kindly for Murphy, but she volleys over the bar
• 87: GOAL - Sevenius grabs one back for the visitors
• 90+8: GOAL - Newcastle equalise at the death
• FT: Palace 2-2 Newcastle

It ended all square at the VBS Community Stadium, after Morgan Gautrat's 98th minute equaliser earned a point for the visitors.

After a goalless 45 minutes, the Eagles raced into a 2-0 lead in the second-half, thanks to strikes from Kirsty Howat and Molly-Mae Sharpe. Two late goals from Oona Sevenius and Gautrat saw Newcastle rescue a point at the VBS.

It was a tight first-half in South London, with Palace enjoying the better of the chances. The best chance of the first 45 minutes came on the ninth minute, where Abbie Larkin broke away from the Newcastle midfield with defenders struggling to get back.

With Larkin bearing down on goal, and both Elise Hughes and Ashleigh Weerden as options to pass to, the winger looked to slide in the Wales international.

Her pass was just too strong however, and Newcastle goalkeeper Femke Liefting managed to smother the ball in before it reached Hughes.

There was a flurry of chances on 26 minutes, as former Palace player Lia Cataldo let fly a ferocious effort from outside the box, with the ball missing the goal by a matter of inches.

Just one minute later Weerden found herself in space on the left-wing, and she lofted a looping cross that crashed off the top of Liefting's crossbar.

Palace managed to open the scoring on 55 minutes though, after Howat nodded in a wonderful cross from Weerden.

Sharpe would replace the goalscorer on 70 minutes for her 101st appearance in Palace colours, and grabbed one herself just two minutes later.

After an initial attempt was saved, Sharpe got the ball in the Newcastle box, and planted an accurate left-footed finish into the net - to the delight of the Palace faithful.

Palace had mostly dominated proceedings against the Magpies, but a goal on the 87th minute from Sevenius set up a nervy finish at the VBS.

Then, in the 98th minute, Gautrat's corner managed to squirm past Shae Yañez in the Palace goal to seal a draw at the death for Newcastle.

This result leaves Palace in seventh place in the WSL2, with another home game next week against Sunderland at 12:00 on Sunday, 12th October.

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Palace: Yañez (GK), Napier, Hughes, Howat (Sharpe, 70), Weerden, Green (Cato, 90+4), Nolan, Blanchard, Vanhaevermaet, Larkin (Watson, 83), Swaby

Subs not used: Annets (GK), Arthur, Sibley, Riley, Littlejohn, Hopcroft

Newcastle: Liefting (GK), Stokes, Nobbs, Gautrat, Hayles (Murphy, 61), Gregory (Pike, 75), Cooper, McQuade (Joel, 61) Mannion, Lumsden (Sevenius, 75), Cataldo

Subs not used: Moan (GK), Wardlaw, Boddy, Grec, Fox