it’s matchday
Welcome back to the VBS Community Stadium in Sutton, where Crystal Palace Women take on Sunderland in the Barclays Women’s Super League 2!
The season is underway and the goals are flowing! Fans who have attended Palace Women's first two league games at the VBS have been treated to a whopping 12 goals so far.
With today’s game kicking off at 12:00 BST, why not visit our Fanzone before to help you get ready for the early kick-off? Situated just beyond the Collingwood Road Stand at the far side of the stadium, the Fanzone will open
at 10:30am BST (90 minutes before kick-off).
There will be live music from DJ SRae, free facepainting and the opportunity to get a photo and a high-five from mascots Pete and Alice! As part of the ‘Alcohol in the Bowl’ trial, fans can also enjoy an alcoholic beverage in their seat and watch the match unfold.
As always, get behind the team–and be loud, be proud...be Palace!
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Scan here to view a full matchday supporters’ guide.
jopotter
Welcome back to the VBS Community Stadium for what is a massively important fixture against Sunderland. Following last weekend’s draw against Newcastle, I know every single player in the squad is desperate to get back out there and put things right.
When the dust settles, there are two overriding feelings about the Newcastle game. The first is pride in the quality of football we played for long spells, and the second is deep frustration at a clear opportunity missed.
For over 80 minutes, we demonstrated exactly what this team is capable of. We were commanding, we controlled the tempo, and we were clinical when it mattered. The goals from Kirsty Howat and MollyMae Sharpe were deserved rewards for excellent play and application. At 2-0 up, we looked comfortable and completely in control. We limited Newcastle to hopeful long balls and I felt like we were the team most likely to go on and get a third goal.
That is why the way the game ended, conceding two late goals to turn a victory into a frustrating draw, is so tough to take. It is a similar story to a couple of our recent results, and it highlights an area we absolutely must address immediately.
I feel we are creating and playing an attractive style of football, but we simply are not turning that into the points tally that reflects our domination
in matches. We are being let down by small moments of panic and individual errors when under pressure.
When the opposition starts to play long and create chaos, we need to show greater maturity and discipline to see the game out. We can't afford to let marginal gains turn into costly slip-ups, especially in a league where every point is vital and there are so few games.
It is no secret that we have to work on finding that extra gear of composure to put games to bed. We need to handle the pressure better, especially in the final moments. We are a team with high aspirations, the chatter about us being promotion contenders brings pressure, and we have to learn to manage that on the pitch. We can’t shy away from these conversations; we need to grow and tackle problems head-on.
One problem we are openly tackling is the lack of a clean sheet. It’s an area of concern, absolutely. I genuinely feel like we’re not being cut open by world-class play; we are, instead, contributing to the goals we concede through mistakes.
If we can limit those individual errors and find a little more pride in keeping the ball out of our net, we limit the opposition's chances and
give ourselves a platform to turn these frustrating draws into crucial wins.
Today, we face a Sunderland side who will be resolute and wellorganised. They will present a tough challenge, and we need to be ready for a battle. Our focus has been clear all week: maintain the attractive, dominant football we are playing, but couple that with a new level of ruthlessness and resilience when defending a lead.
The positive is that the players' attitude has been fantastic. They are disappointed but determined. We are improving week-in, week-out, and that progression is undeniable. Now, we need the results to match that effort.
Finally, I want to thank the supporters, as always. Your backing at the VBS has been unwavering. We need you to keep pushing us today, particularly through those difficult periods in the game. We are building something special here, and with your continued support, I know we can get back to winning ways this afternoon.
aimee everett
Welcome, everyone, to the VBS for what promises to be a fantastic encounter against Sunderland. As a squad, we were hurting a lot after last weekend, but the girls have put in a huge shift on the training pitch this week, and we are absolutely ready to bounce back today.
the main feeling after the draw with Newcastle was, quite simply, frustration. For large periods of that game, we were brilliant. We played our football, dominated the midfield, and created some fantastic scoring opportunities. The goals from Kirsty and Molly were great examples of our attacking quality and going into the final stages with a 2-0 lead, we felt the three points were ours. To be ahead and playing so well, only to walk away with a draw, is really disappointing.
To let that slip away in the final minutes was a bitter pill to swallow. It felt like two points dropped rather than a point gained, and we know we let ourselves and, more importantly, you, the supporters, down. The difference between a promotion-contending side and the chasing pack often comes down to handling those late-game situations, and that’s the mental step we are currently striving to make.
However, the mark of a good team isn’t just how you play when you’re winning, it’s how you react to setbacks. We’ve had a really productive week. We are under no
illusions about what needs to improve. The gaffer has spoken to us about the moments that we need to improve on and we know that we need to be smarter, more composed, and far more resilient when the game gets chaotic. We need to be professional enough to just clear our lines, be aggressive in the tackle, and show the desire to keep that ball away from our goal.
We are playing a lovely style of football that we know is fun to watch. The statistics show we are dominating games, but we need to find that killer instinct - that ruthlessness - to shut the door completely on the opposition. That means cutting out the small, unforced errors that gift teams a way back into the match. When we have the lead, we need to be selfish and defend it with our lives.
The talk around the club about promotion is exciting, and we all embrace it, but it also means the pressure is higher. We know that we need points in every single game, and we have to step up. We can’t let external expectations affect our focus on the pitch. We are focusing on the process, not the hype, and making
sure we limit those mistakes that have cost us recently.
We know we need a big performance and a big result against Sunderland today. We have the quality to beat anyone in this league, but we have to translate that potential into points. It’s about being better in both boxes, creating clear chances at one end, and having pride in keeping a clean sheet at the other.
As always, a massive thank you to everyone in the stands. We are determined to put in a performance today that gets the win and gives you all something to cheer about. Your support drives us, particularly when we are defending under pressure.
Please, keep making the VBS a fortress. Push us on for the full ninety minutes. We are a squad united, and with your backing, we are determined to get back to winning ways and start turning these dominant performances into three points.
last time out
It ended 2-2 against Newcastle at the VBS Community Stadium last week, after Morgan Gautrat's 98th minute equaliser earned a point for the visitors.
After a goalless 45 minutes, the Eagles raced into a 2-0 lead in the second-half, thanks to strikes from Kirsty Howat and Molly-Mae Sharpe. Two late goals from Oona Sevenius and Gautrat saw Newcastle rescue a point.
The best chance of the first 45 minutes came on the ninth minute, where Abbie Larkin broke away from the Newcastle midfield with defenders struggling to get back. With Larkin bearing down on goal, and both Elise Hughes and Ashleigh Weerden as options to pass to, the winger looked to slide in the Wales international.
Her pass was just too strong however, and Newcastle goalkeeper Femke Liefting managed to smother the ball before it reached Hughes.
There was a flurry of chances on 26 minutes, as former Palace player Lia Cataldo let fly a ferocious effort from outside the box, with the ball missing the goal by a matter of inches.
Just one minute later Weerden found herself in space on the left-wing, and she lofted a looping cross that crashed off the top of Liefting's crossbar.
Palace managed to open the scoring on 55 minutes though, after Howat nodded in a wonderful cross from Weerden.
goalscorer on 70 minutes for her 101st appearance in Palace colours, and she would grab one herself just two minutes later.
After an initial attempt was saved, Sharpe got the ball in the Newcastle box, and planted an accurate left-footed finish into the net - to the delight of the Palace faithful.
Palace had mostly dominated proceedings against the Magpies, but a goal on the 87th minute from Sevenius set up a nervy finish in South London.
Then, in the 98th minute, Gautrat's corner managed to squirm past Shae Yañez in the Palace goal to seal a draw at the death for Newcastle.
sunderland afc
black cats
a hotbed of talent
Sunderland Women have a storied history of developing and bringing through top English talent. Lioness legends like Jill Scott, Steph Houghton, Demi Stokes, Beth Mead, Lucy Bronze, and Jordan Nobbs all came through the ranks at the Academy of Light.
from striker
to
manager
Head Coach Melanie Reay's deep connection with Sunderland started during her teenage years playing for Cowgate Kestrels. A prolific striker
for the Black Cats, she won the Golden Boot twice and helped secure promotion in 2005 before a brief spell at rivals Newcastle, following in the path of her cousin, Alan Shearer. After retiring in 2010, Reay gained valuable touchline experience before taking over as Sunderland Head Coach in March 2017.
The Kestrels
Sunderland Women can trace their origins back to The Kestrels, a five-a-side team founded in 1989 that quickly rose to prominence by winning the WFA Yorkshire and Humberside League in 1990. The modern club was established in 2000 through a merger involving The Kestrels, an independent Sunderland Ladies club, and the professional Sunderland A.F.C. men's club.
first wsl2 winners
The FA WSL 2 launched in 2014, fundamentally altering the league with the introduction of promotion and relegation. Sunderland quickly rose to the challenge, becoming the inaugural WSL 2 champions that very season. This success, clinched with a final-day 4-0 victory over Millwall Lionesses, earned the Black Cats promotion to the WSL, where they went on to compete for four successive seasons.
Eleanor Dale Sunderland’s top goalscorer last year will be looking to add even more to her tally this season. The former England Under-17’s forward bagged eight league goals in 16 appearances for the Black Cats last year. In January, she also scored four goals in a 7–1 win over National League side Exeter City in the 2024–25 FA Cup fourth round.
“We just didn’t look like we were at the races today. We didn’t create enough with the ball and ultimately, we’ve come away with nothing. It’s our first defeat of the season. We just have to make sure we pick ourselves up and we have a better reaction when we go to Palace next week.”
Mel Reay
HOW THE EAGLES SOAR.
Crystal palace f.c.
J. Wardle
D. Jakab
B. Kelly
L. Pollard