Howat: I'm delighted to get off the mark
Following a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest, summer signing Kirsty Howat spoke about scoring her first goal for the club, as well as helping to secure the team's first win of the season.
Howat's first-half effort proved to be the winner, a moment she described as a mixture of instinct and good fortune. The decisive goal came from a deflected shot, and Howat's quick thinking was the key to turning it into a moment of celebration.
Speaking to Palace TV after the game, she said: " I just reacted to the deflected shot and yeah, just right place, right time, and I managed to keep it in at the back post. Delighted to get off the mark!"
Reflecting on the team's collective effort at the City Ground, she said: "Yeah, it feels great, we've obviously put a lot of hard work in over the last few weeks, so to get the win today is brilliant."
Looking ahead, Howat provided insight into the character of the squad and what supporters can expect this season.
"I think we're resilient. We want to work hard, we want to learn and we want to implement the style of play that Jo's trying to play.
"Whether it be to go more direct or to play and cut teams open, we're happy to do both and hopefully more wins to come," Howat said.
The quick turnaround means there's little time to dwell on the Forest result, as Palace turn their attention to a Subway Women's League Cup clash with London City Lionesses on Wednesday.
Howat's focus is already on the next challenge, recognising the quality of their upcoming WSL opponent.
She said: "We obviously need to now rest and recover properly. It's a quick turnaround for Wednesday but yeah, we'll be ready.
"It's another exciting game. They have recruited really well and they obviously got promoted last season, so we're excited to play a good team."
This game kicks off at 19:30 on Wednesday, 24th September at the VBS Community Stadium, and you can get tickets by clicking the button below!