Palace Women v Watford matchday programme 2324 publication

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2023/24
sun 24 mar 2024 14:00 kick-off
women

Shauna Guyatt Eagle Eye View

Aimee Everett Mirabelle Food

Kirsten REILLY ANDY DAVIS

Ria Percival Impact Sponsorship

Molly Sharpe

Impact Sponsorship

ISABELLA SIBLEY CHRISTOPHER WOODS

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
Player sponsors
Annabel Blanchard Eagle Eye View
polly doran aware® - Breast self-examination aid
To sponsor your favourite players, contact sales@cpfc.co.uk

CONGRATULATIONS, LEIGH

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Player Liaison Officer Leigh Nicol has been rewarded for her dedication and service to the women’s game with a nomination at the prestigious Women’s Football Awards.

The Women’s Football Awards are the biggest of their kind in Britain, celebrating the women’s game and recognising those players, staff, and others working hard to grow women’s football in every conceivable way.

Nicol has been recognised for her work at Crystal Palace

over the last year with a nomination for the ‘Off the Pitch Award’, which is ‘presented to a hero who has shown dedication and passion for improving the beautiful game for women. This is an individual award that will be awarded to someone for their excellent and consistent work at any level of football or for one truly outstanding contribution’.

The award will be decided by a judging panel in April, with the ceremony itself taking place on Thursday, 30th May and hosted by Jamie Carragher and Eni Aluko.

Everyone at the club would like to congratulate Leigh for her nomination, and recognise her continued hard work and dedication to the club and women’s football as a whole.

Join us for the run-in!

Make sure you continue your exceptional support of the Eagles this season by getting behind Laura Kaminski’s side for the final two home games of the season, against Birmingham on Sunday, 14th April (14:00 BST) and current leagueleaders Sunderland on Sunday, 28th April (14:00 BST). For more details and all the key ticketing information, head to cpfc.co.uk.

BRIEFING
palace √ watford sUN 24 mar | 14:00
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coach 04
Head

Hello everybody, and a very warm welcome back to Selhurst Park for this afternoon’s Women’s Championship game against Watford.

We come into this game off the back of a defeat last weekend to Sheffield United. Having played well enough to win against them here the previous week, we were disappointed with our performance at Bramall Lane, but it only goes to show that any team can beat any other team in this league – and we should be in for another exciting game today.

We know that Watford will pose a huge threat to us. They are fighting to stay in this league, so they will give it everything they’ve got. They can score goals as well, so we will be wary of that, and we will be looking to put in a stronger performance this week.

As I mentioned, last time we were here, we recorded our firstever Championship win at Selhurst Park. It meant a lot to the team to get our first win here, and for Molly to get the goal as well. We were disappointed not to follow it up with a win the week after, but we are determined to put that right this weekend.

The girls know that we are expecting a record crowd this afternoon; more than 4,451 tickets have been sold at the time of writing – the previous record which you set here earlier this season. We expect that number to be higher today. That is brilliant.

Your support this season has been fantastic, from the first game all the way up until now. Wherever we have played, up and down the country, you have given us an amazing backing

It means everything to play at Selhurst Park in front of you. The fans make our matchdays, with their songs and support. They follow us home and away and push us on at important times.

Your support this season has been fantastic, from the first game all the way up until now. Wherever we have played, up and down the country, you have given us an amazing backing. I know that playing in front of a record crowd will excite the girls, and I hope that we can put in a good performance for you.

We have five games left this season and we are determined to give them all everything that we have as a team. We’ll keep on doing what we’ve done to this point: take each individual game as it comes, and rise to each individual challenge.

In this league, you have to shift your focus quickly, every week. We always go for three points. We won’t be changing that mentality. We want to keep our heads down, keep our confidence up, and keep working for the results we deserve.

We hope that we can give you another performance you are proud of, and that you have a great time at today’s match.

Enjoy the game,

Head coach
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captain 06

Good afternoon everybody, and welcome back to Selhurst Park for today’s Championship match against Watford.

It’s great to be back in SE25 again today, playing at Selhurst Park for the third time this season.

Two weeks ago, we played here against Sheffield United, and won at Selhurst Park for the first time as a Championship team. Having been at Palace for three seasons now, that was a great feeling!

That result means any nerves which might have surrounded playing at Selhurst are now gone for us, and we can all just feel excited to get back out there and play – particularly in front of what promises to be a record crowd today.

As fans, you give us such a big extra push. Your support really does help us, particularly in big games like this, and the noise you make helps us feel at home, wherever we’re playing. Thank you for such a fantastic turnout today – and indeed all season, in Sutton and on the road.

Obviously, we go into today’s game disappointed with the result of our match last weekend at Bramall Lane. We know we

weren’t at our best – but that means there’s no better time for us to play here, with a big crowd behind us, and hopefully bounce back with a win.

With just five games left to go this season, we know the importance of every match and

As fans, you give us such a big extra push. Your support really does help us, particularly in big games like this, and the noise you make helps us feel at home

every point left to play for. These are the five most important games of the season – there’s no hiding that – so every push you can give us will help us.

We know that in the Championship, anything can happen. It doesn’t matter where

you are in the table, because that doesn’t decide which way a game is going to go. Any team can get a win on their day in this league, so we can’t underestimate Watford or any other team we have between now and the end of the season.

Watford are fighting for every point, just like us, so that is going to give them just as much impetus to go out and there and want to win the game. We’ll have to be ready for that, and show as much fight as we have done throughout the rest of this season.

What’s been evident from the start is that we, as a group, are not focusing too much on the finishing line. We are just taking things week-by-week. If we win each one of our games, we will end up where we deserve to be – and as captain, I’ll be proud of the girls no matter what.

Thank you once again for your amazing support – I know you’ll get right behind us again today.

Enjoy the match!

Aimee

captain
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crystal palace women

Crystal Palace have enjoyed a landmark season so far under Laura Kaminski, and find themselves locked into an almighty title race that looks set to go right down to the wire. With five games to go, four teams sit within a point of one another at the top of the table – although Palace come into this one with a game in hand – meaning every point will be absolutely critical come the end of the season.

The Eagles enjoyed a cup run this season, culminating in a narrow defeat against serial champions Chelsea, but they have reserved their best form for the league. Having found the back of the net 44 times this season, they are comfortably the league’s most prolific side;

their tally is 11 higher than the next highest scorers, and almost double that of league leaders Sunderland (23).

Huge highs, like the nine goals scored against Durham or the critical away win at Southampton just last month have come alongside lows, like last weekend’s defeat to Sheffield United. It means Palace head into today’s game looking to bounce back – and it’s something they have excelled at so far, winning the next game after every league defeat this season.

So can Kaminski’s side reassert their title ambitions with a victory today in front of a huge crowd at Selhurst Park, and move Palace closer to a club-record highest finish in the Women’s Championship?

head coach laura kaminski

Kaminski has made a huge impression since arriving at Crystal Palace last summer, driving the team’s charge towards the top of the table. Her career in the game goes back 15 years, including five with the FA where she led the England Under-19s. She helped Tottenham Hotspur gain promotion to the Women’s Super League for the very first time.

eagles

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THIS season pos pts 2nd 33 Top Scorer Elise Hughes (14) Most assists Fliss Gibbons (8)
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crystal palace

13

02

05 A. Filbey

11

17 A. Potter

21 S. Guyatt

22 A. Dennis

BOOT IN BOTH CAMPS Fliss Gibbons

Gibbons spent a year at Watford after leaving Charlton Athletic, heading out on loan to Gillingham while representing England at Under-19s level. Recent matches

Top scorer – Elise Hughes

Hughes is not only Palace’s top-scorer with 21 goals in all competitions, but her 14 goals in the league make her the Women’s Championship top-scorer too. She has two hat-tricks this season, including four in the 9-1 victory over Durham in September, and is consistently a threat to opposition defences.

Starting xi 30 D. Lambourne 23 R. Percival 06 A. Everett 15 H. Nolan 3 F. Gibbons 24 S. Hopcroft 4 C. Arthur 10 A. Blanchard 9 E. Hughes 8 M. Sharpe 77 I. Atkinson subs
N.
Negri
A. Johnson
K. Reilly
25 L. Watson
Larkin 77 30 3 15 06 23 09 10 24 04 08
cards subs
27 A.
goal
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oppo res 1-2 1-0 4-0 1-0 2-0 pos 2nd N/A 2nd 2nd 2nd 2-0
Utd √ Palace Sun 17 Mar / Bramall Lane
Sheff
crystal palace
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Demi Lambourne

13

02

age 27 apps {clean sheets) 14 (5) joined 2023 from

Loan signing Lambourne helped Leicester go from the Championship to the Super League in 2021. She won Players’ Player of the Season the next year as the Foxes stayed up.

31 06

Gibbons has the league’s highest tally of assists, having created eight goals for her teammates. She was formerly Brighton’s Player of the Year in their 2014/15 promotionwinning campaign. goalkeeper

fliss gibbons

Natalia Negri pos goalkeeper nat england age 20 Annis-Clara Wright pos goalkeeper nat england age 16 england Annabel Johnson pos defender nat england age 30 Aimee Everett pos defender nat ENGLAND age 22 pos defender nat ENGLAND age 29
crystal palace 12

07

new zealand age 34

apps (goals) 8 (0) joined 2024 from

Percival has played more than 160 games for her country, featuring at four Olympic Games and five World Cups. She is the only New Zealander to play in a Champions League final and an FA Cup final.

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Hayley Nolan

Nolan made her international debut in 2021 after impressing with London City Lionesses, having played college football in the United States early in her career. She joined Palace in 2023.

Isabella Sibley pos defender nat ENGLAND age 24
20
DEFENDER polly doran pos DEFENDER nat Australia age 22 Chloe Arthur pos midfielder nat scotland age 29 pos Defender nat Rep. ireland age 27 ria percival crystal palace
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Anna Filbey pos MIDFIELDER nat wales age 24 05

Molly Sharpe

17 08 11

Sharpe moved to the United States early in her career, combining studies in Miami with a growing footballing reputation. She returned to England via Durham, before joining Palace in summer 2021.

Shauna Guyatt

24 10

england age 19 apps (goals) 19 (1) joined 2022 from

A childhood Palace fan, Guyatt’s career has taken off in south London, earning her international recognition and the captaincy at youth level with England. She joined from Chelsea’s academy in 2022.

Kirsten Reilly pos MIDFIELDER nat scotland age 28 Alexia Potter pos MIDFIELDER nat england age 17 Shanade Hopcroft pos midfielder nat england age 26 Annabel Blanchard pos forward nat england age 22 pos forward nat england age 26
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crystal palace

77 19

22

27 25

Elise Hughes

Izzy Atkinson

pos FORWARD nat Rep. ireland age 22

Atkinson’s remarkable form was recognised with the Palace and Women’s Championship Player of the Month awards for March, while her solo effort against Southampton, was nominated for the club’s Goal of the Month.

FORWARD wales age 22 apps (goals) 23 (21) joined 2022 from

Wales international Hughes has been unstoppable up-front for Palace this season, leading the way as the Championship’s top scorer and netting two hat-tricks, scoring four times against Durham.

Keira Barry
pos FORWARD nat england age 18
Araya Dennis pos FORWARD nat england age 18 Abbie Larkin pos FORWARD nat Rep. ireland age 18 Lucy Watson
pos FORWARD nat england age 20
palace 15
crystal
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Watford sit bottom of the Women’s Championship table after a difficult season that has seen them win just three games, and they find themselves six points adrift of safety with just five games remaining.

The two sides have met twice already this season, with Palace winning both league and cup ties 3-0 in November: Elise Hughes’ brace and Shauna Guyatt’s goal ensured a comfortable Palace win, while Hughes, Araya Dennis and Kirsten Reilly were the scorers later that month. Those two victories came in the middle of a torrid run for the Golden Girls, winning just once in 10 games and being taken to a penalty shoot-out in the League Cup to do so.

Much like Palace, Watford earned an FA Cup tie with one of the

THIS season

hornets watford

pos pts

12th 12

biggest names in the women’s game as they travelled to north London to take on Arsenal in January, but were beaten comfortably 5-1.

Back-to-back victories at the end of January sparked hopes of a late-season revival, but Watford have struggled since then and defeats to Sheffield United and Lewes have knocked confidence once again, and consigned them to their place at the foot of the table.

Interim Head Coach Matt Bevans

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Former Watford defender Bevans spent much of this season as assistant manager, but has stepped up in recent weeks after Damon Lathrope was required to help interim men’s first-team manager Tom Cleverley for the remainder of the campaign.

Top Scorer Carly Johns (4) Most assists Abbie Lafayette (3)
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Watford

Crystal Palace Women are enjoying a 2023/24 campaign to remember. Catch up with the season so far in our comprehensive Stat Zone…

individual stats league table

fixtures, results & stats pos CLUB P W D L F A GD Pts 1 SUN 18 10 4 4 23 14 9 34 2 CRY 17 10 3 4 44 19 25 33 3 SOU 18 11 0 7 33 19 14 33 4 CHA 17 9 6 2 23 14 9 33 5 BIR 16 8 3 5 25 14 11 27 6 SHU 18 7 2 9 24 25 -1 23 7 BLA 17 7 2 8 15 25 -10 23 8 DUR 18 5 5 8 19 33 -14 20 9 LON 18 5 4 9 19 28 -9 19 10 REA 16 4 6 6 15 24 -9 18 11 LEW 18 4 4 10 19 30 -11 16 12 WAT 17 3 3 11 19 33 -14 12 AUGUST Sun 27 Reading D 1-1 SEPTEMBER Sun 3 Birmingham City W 2-1 Sun 10 Durham W 9-1 Sun 17 Sunderland D 1-1 OCTOBER Sun 8 Blackburn Rovers W 4-0 Wed 11 Lewes D 1-1 Sun 15 London City Lionesses W 6-1 Sun 22 Charlton Athletic L 2-3 NOVEMBER Sun 5 Watford W 3-0 Sun 12 Lewes W 3-2 Sun 19 Southampton L 3-4 Wed 22 Watford W 3-0 DECEMBER Sun 10 Chatham Town W 6-0 Sun 17 Reading D 1-1 JANUARY Sun 14 Blackburn Rovers W 3-1 Sun 21 London City Lionesses W 2-0 Wed 24 London City Lionesses L 1-2 Sun 28 Charlton Athletic L 0-1 FEBRUARY Sun 4 Southampton W 2-1 Sun 11 Chelsea L 0-1 Sun 18 Blackburn Rovers W 4-0 MARCH Sun 10 Sheffield United W 1-0 Sun 17 Sheffield United L 0-2 Sun 24 Watford Sun 31 Durham APRIL Sun 14 Birmingham City Sun 21 Lewes Sun 28 Sunderland Apps Goals Chloe ARTHUR 19 1 Izzy ATKINSON 5 2 Keira BARRY 1 1 Annabel BLANCHARD 18 9 Araya DENNIS 22 3 Polly DORAN 8 1 Aimee EVERETT 22 2 Anna FILBEY 18 1 Felicity GIBBONS 19 Shauna GUYATT 19 1 Shanade HOPCROFT 22 4 Elise HUGHES 23 21 Annabel JOHNSON 4 Demi LAMBOURNE 14 Abbie LARKIN 2 Natalia NEGRI 10 Ellie NOBLE Hayley NOLAN 22 3 Ria PERCIVAL 8 Alexia POTTER 16 1 Kirsten REILLY 19 1 Molly SHARPE 23 7 Isabella SIBLEY 7 Lucy WATSON 7
Molly Sharpe scored Palace’s first-ever second-tier Selhurst Park winner against Sheffield United a fortnight ago.
fixture Away fixture Cup fixture (Crystal Palace score shown first)
fixtures & results Home
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Crystal palace f.c. Watford f.c.

Annabel

Fliss GIBBONS

Chloe ARTHUR

Anna FILBEY

Aimee EVERETT

Isabella SIBLEY

Molly SHARPE

Elise HUGHES

Annabel BLANCHARD

Kirsten REILLY

Natalia NEGRI (GK)

Hayley NOLAN

Lexi POTTER

Keira BARRY

Polly DORAN

Shauna GUYATT

Araya DENNIS

Ria PERCIVAL

Shanade HOPCROFT

Lucy WATSON

Abbie LARKIN

Demi LAMBOURNE (GK)

Annis-Clara WRIGHT (GK)

Izzy ATKINSON

E. Broad

Y. Yekta

P. Horner

D. Griffin

Safia MIDDLETON-PATEL (GK)

Lucía LEÓN

Abbie LAFAYETTE

Charlotte FLEMING

Annie MEIWALD

Sophie McLEAN

Gemma DAVISON

Bianca BAPTISTE

Carly JOHNS

Annie ROSSITER

Michelle AGYEMANG

Ellie HEAD

Jacqui GOLDSMID (GK)

Harley BENNETT

Drè GEORGIOU

Laila HARBERT

Megan CHANDLER

Poppy WILSON

Alli PALISCH

Kalani PEART

Flo FYFE

Jade BRADLEY

Coral HAINES

Melis MEHMET

Cerys BROWN

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 25 27
JOHNSON
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 15 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 30 31 77
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