Six things we learned from Crystal Palace Women’s loss to Southampton

A goal from captain Aimee Everett and two goals from Elise Hughes, including a rocket of a penalty shortly after half time, were sadly not enough to stop Southampton winning this closely fought fixture. A lapse in concentration late into the game allowed Southampton forward Wilkinson to sneak into the box, connect with a cross and loop a header over Demi Lambourne in the Palace goal. 

Here are six things we learned from this weekend’s fixture.

The club really cares about their fan experience

It was evident that Crystal Palace really care about their fans’ match day experience. Starting with pre-match in the fan zone where there was a competition to win a signed shirt, alongside a meet and greet with some of the squad including fan favourite Annabel Blanchard who recently won Championship Player of the Month, Polly Doran and Chelsea loanee Lucy Watson. Four lucky girls were given the opportunity at half time to step foot onto the pitch alongside comedian Chloe Petts and take penalties against Pete and Alice the Eagle. And following the game the Palace players ensured they took the time to meet every fan that stayed behind for photos and autographs. 

A record crowd at Selhurst Park

Twice a season the Crystal Palace Women’s team play at the club’s main ground Selhurst Park, instead of their regular home at the VBS Community Stadium in Sutton. On Sunday the match sold a record breaking 4,442 tickets, with fans filling both the Main Stand and White Horse Lane stand. Both the Eagles’ and Saints’ fan bases were in fine voice, creating a great atmosphere inside of the stadium.

Gibbons shines in both defence and attack

Felicity Gibbons has the ability to play both in defence and attack, and certainly showcased this ability throughout the game. Gibbons made some crucial tackles at the back when Palace faced sustained pressure during periods of the game. But Gibbons turned from saviour to provider on two occasions to get two assists for Palace’s first two goals. The first was a beautifully floated freekick into the centre of the box before captain Everett headed the ball over Rendall in the Saints’ goal. The second saw Gibbons pick out Hughes with a fantastic cross just moments before the half time whistle. 

Araya Dennis is one to watch for the future

Dennis is one of the youngest members of the Palace Squad at just 17 years old, joining at the start of the season on a dual registration from Arsenal. She has previously represented the Lionesses at U17 level - and you can certainly see why! She posed the most threat to Southampton throughout the game with her blistering pace down the right wing, causing endless problems for the opposition. A creative run at the start of the second half saw Dennis weaving between defenders before being brought down inside the box, leading to Palace being awarded a penalty which Hughes powered straight down the centre into the roof of the net. Dennis gave a fantastic showing of herself, and a talent that could definitely feature for England in the future should she continue to receive the right development in her career.

Palace yet to win at Selhurst

Prior to this weekend’s fixture against Southampton, the Palace Women’s team had played at Selhurst Park three times - with a record of one draw and two losses, the most recent being a 2-1 loss to this weekend’s visitors Southampton. Unfortunately the Eagles were unable to change their luck, with some fans on X (formerly Twitter) calling for the team to ‘stop playing at Selhurst’.

The Women’s Super League is within touching distance

Crystal Palace sit 4th in the table after this weekend’s fixture, with a game in hand and only two points from the top. Throughout the game the Eagles showed glimmers of promise, however you can’t help but feel that the pressure of playing at Selhurst Park got to them. But that being said, with some amazing results already this season, if the team can bounce back in their next league fixture against Reading (December 17) then they could begin to build the momentum needed to help them gain promotion and play against the elite in the Women’s Super League next season.