Farrow’s brace and Barton strike sees Eagles snatch narrow 3-2 win over Addicks

By Football Reporter

A brace from Millie Farrow and a goal from Kirsty Barton helped Crystal Palace to a narrow 3-2 win against Charlton in the FA Women’s Championship.

Goals from Hollie Olding and Jess King pulled Karen Hills’ side back into the game, but they extended their winless run to five games in all competitions.

Charlton almost took the opening lead within five minutes after Bethan Roe’s resulting corner met Hannah Godrey, whose diving header was superbly blocked on the goaline.

The breakthrough came for Palace in the 10th minute. Dean Davenport’s side produced a dangerous counter-attack as Siobhan Wilson launched a bursting run into the box saw her driving effort blocked by Cumings, before Farrow converted the rebound to give Palace the lead.

In the 36th minute, Addicks’ goalie Cumings make another outstanding save denied Annabel Johnson following Wilson’s free-kick that kept her side into the game.

Palace claimed a two-cushion before half time, with some patient build-up play saw Wilson executed an accurate cross that was headed home by Barton the ball to Barton in the 43rd minute.

With 20 minutes remaining, Emma Follis’ cross was nodded on by Quirk at the near post for Olding to slot the ball into the net to put the visitors back into the game.

Palace immediately restored their two-goal lead followed by a lapse of concentration from the Charlton backline gifted the ball to Farrow who rounded past Cumings to score.

In stoppage time, Karen Hills’ side pulled another goal back through King, whose close-range header completed the scoring but Palace held firm to earn another home victory.

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Crystal Palace manager Dean Davenport said: “I thought the first half was fantastic, we played some really great football. Same as last week, going with two goals before half-time was a fair reflection of the way we played. I thought we hustled and bustled.

“It wasn’t a surprise that we went in front, but the major thing is we scored the second goal at the right time. But defensively in the first half, to keep hold of the two-nil lead towards the break where we showed some of our fantastic defensive work from our defenders.

“The goal line clearance was vital because it keeps the result as it is and we as a team have added that to our game which we didn’t have last year that steel to defend our six-yard box. For Kirsty Barton to take that off the line was a major plus for us because like I said, it takes us into the half time lead with a two-nil lead.

“The plus side is that we are now six games unbeaten and that’s what been instilled into the players which is what they want to keep hold off. We continue to put that message out to the players that if you are unbeaten in this league, you start going to places and I think that where we are going. You have not seen the best of us yet. When that time comes, I think there will be a few surprises to people.”

Charlton manager Karen Hills’ said: “We can’t give a team the two-goal head start and unfortunately, it cost us today. We tried to get back into the game which we did. Disappointing performance today and we need to be better.

“It was a good header from Hannah Godfrey from a corner and they saved it off the line. It could have looked very different if we went a goal up. However, at the other end, I think in both boxes, it wasn’t good enough today.

“We knew Palace would give us opportunities to nick the ball in dangerous areas and it’s down to us and our ability to be on the front foot in creating those opportunities. We didn’t capitalise on those chances.

“In the second half, the team knew we had a game in our hands and was going to be an uphill battle. We thought that we’ve done better in the second half and made some changes which made a little bit of an impact. We worked on set pieces and we knew we could hurt them in those wide areas. However, it just comes down to the fine details and they were better than us today.”

Crystal Palace: (4-3-3): Emily Orman; Annabel Johnson, Grace Coombs, Aimee Everett, Lizzie Waldie; Millie Farrow, Coral-Jade Haines, Kirsty Barton; Siobhan Wilson, Sophie McLean, Bianca Baptiste

Substitutes: Leigh Nicol for Haines 74, Leanne Cowan for Wilson 81, Molly-Mae Sharpe for Farrow 88

Substitutes not used: Chloe Morgan, Hannah Churchill, Charley Clifford, Gracie Pearse

Goals: Farrow 10 & 73, Barton 43

Bookings: N/A

Red Cards: N/A

Charlton: (4-4-2): Eartha Cumings; Rachel Newborough, Megan Wynne, Ella Rutherford, Anna Filbey; Kiera Skeels, Emma Follis, Lois Roche, Mia Ross; Hannah Godfrey, Bethan Roe

Substitutes: Hollie Olding for Wynne 45, Sophie Quirk for Skeels 58, Elise Hughes for Godfrey 65, Jess King for Quirk 83

Substitutes not used: Sophie Hillyerd, Elisha Sulola, Mary Bashford, Lois Heuchan, Alicia Grimmond

Goals: Olding 68, King 90

Bookings: N/A

Red cards: N/A

Referee: Lucy Oliver-May

Attendance: 481