Napier nabs winner for Lionesses as they come from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1
By Football Reporter
London City Lionesses 2 Crystal Palace 1
A combative derby encounter at Princes Park went the way of hosts London City Lionesses, a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace maintaining their excellent start to the new FA Women's Championship season.
Despite falling behind to an early Lizzie Waldie goal, the Lionesses responded quickly through Rianna Jarrett from the penalty spot, with Jamie-Lee Napier adding a second just before the break.
Melissa Phillips’ side were dominant on the ball throughout the afternoon, but it was Palace who struck first.
Coral Haines’ surge down the touchline was illegally checked by Lucy Fitzgerald and from the resulting free-kick – superbly delivered by Siobhan Wilson – Waldie smacked home at the far post.
Annabel Johnson
The hosts quickly shrugged off the setback, settling into their patterns and, aided by some good fortune, were level just seven minutes later.
A loose ball in the Palace penalty area cannoned off Hannah Churchill’s arm, who knew very little about it, but left referee Chloe Anderson no choice.
Jarrett made no mistake from 12 yards, adding to her winner at Liverpool last week. But, despite upping the ante after restoring parity, it wasn’t until five minutes from the interval the Lionesses got themselves in front.
A flowing move involving Amy Rodgers, Lily Agg and Atlanta Primus was converting by a sliding Napier in the six-yard box, meeting Primus’s cross to perfection.
The introduction of Bianca Baptiste gave Palace a more natural target in the second half, allowing Haines to get further forward – and she squandered a golden chance.
After bundling Harley Bennett off the ball, Haines could only find side netting from close quarters when she should have, at a minimum, worked Shae Yanez.
As the game opened up, Agg and Mollie Rouse drew brilliant saves from Chelsea loanee Emily Orman in the Palace goal before Millie Farrow, right at the death, blazed over from Baptiste’s cross with the goal and a point at her mercy.
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London City Lionesses (4-4-1-1): Shae Yanez; Kenni Thompson, Carly Girasoli, Harley Bennett (c), Lucy Fitzgerald; Jamie-Lee Napier, Amy Rodgers, Mollie Rouse, Atlanta Primus; Lily Agg; Rianna Jarrett
Substitutes: Annie Rossiter for Jarrett 73, Karin Muya for Primus 77
Substitutes not used: Melis Mehmet, Wiktoria Fronc, Jessica Gray, Brooke Nunn
Goals: Jarrett 11 (pen), Napier 40
Bookings: Thompson 64
Crystal Palace (5-4-1): Emily Orman; Siohban Wilson, Lizzie Waldie, Aimee Everett, Annabel Johnson (c), Leanne Cowan; Coral Haines, Hannah Churchill, Charlie Clifford, Kirsty Barton; Molly Sharpe
Substitutes: Bianca Baptiste for Barton 46, Gracie Pearse for Clifford 46, Millie Farrow for Sharpe 73, Sophie McLean for Churchill 87
Substitutes not used: Grace Coombs, Leigh Nicol, Chloe Morgan
Goals: Waldie 4
Referee: Chloe Anderson
