Charlton Athletic Women fell to defeat away to Crystal Palace 3-2 at Selhurst Park on Sunday.
The initial exchanges saw neither side get on top before the game started to come to life. The visitors had the first effort on goal with an audacious lob attempt by Amalie Thestrup from 25 yards out. She had the keeper back-pedalling hard, who just managed to get to the ball and palm it to safety.
The chance started a good period for the Addicks, controlling the ball well and keeping it in the Palace half. Despite the control, chances were at a premium, with neither keeper making a save, while both teams sought pockets to exploit.
Then, the breakthrough. Some tidy one-touch football by Kiera Flannery and Lucy Fitzgerald played in Charlotte Newsham, running into the box. Her angled shot was right at the keeper and went out for a corner from which the magic happened. Jodie Hutton’s inswinger was met by Newsham, who nodded the ball across a packed box and allowed Thestrup to prod in for the lead after 39 minutes.
The lead didn’t last long as in added time of the first half, Charlton conceded. A great save from Sophie Whitehouse saw the ball fall on the edge of the box, and Hayley Ladd came steaming in to curl the ball into the bottom corner, making it 1-1 at the break.
The second half started without much action, but after 10, the Addicks fell behind when a cross was headed back across the goal for Palace’s Kirsty Howat to nod into an empty net. With 15 left to go, the hosts got a third through another cross and header, this time via Abbie Larkin, which Whitehouse got so close to keeping out of the net.
Then, a lifeline for Charlton. Keira Skeels was hauled down in the box at a corner, and the referee pointed to the spot. Emma Bissell, who had only just come on, stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way. The Addicks were only one behind with 10 left on the clock, but there was not enough time to find the equaliser.
Charlton are still top for another week despite the result, and with two league games left, everything is still in their hands.
Charlton Athletic: Whitehouse, N’Dow, Mason, Skeels, Newsham, Bradley (Bissell 77), Flannery, Hutton (Siber 77), Fitzgerald (Muya 77), Thestrup (Kenney 61), McAteer (Lockwood 61)
Subs (not used): Pedersen, Ross, Pearse, Lobato
Goals: Thestrup 39, Bissell 80 (pen)
Crystal Palace: Yanez, Napier, Cato, Everett, Sharpe, Howat (Hughes 81), Weerden, Ladd, Blanchard (Riley 81), Larkin, Sawby
Subs (not used): Annets, Arthur, Brown, Brady, Littlejohn, Newell
Goals: Ladd 45+3, Howat 56, Larkin 76
Booked: Blanchard 48 (foul), Everett 69 (foul), Cato 79 (foul), Ladd 85 (foul), Sawby 90+4 (time wasting)
Attendance: 3,822
Referee: Fabio Roque