Abbie Larkin scored the goal that earned Crystal Palace Women a valuable away point against Aston Villa in the Women's Super League. The 1-1 draw at Villa Park on Sunday moves the promoted Eagles to 8th in the table with six points from their first five games.
Noelle Maritz had given the hosts the lead ten minutes into the second half, finishing from a Chasity Grant assist. Crystal Palace responded with a triple substitution on the 70-minute mark, and the changes paid dividends four minutes later. Larkin found the net to level the score and secure a share of the spoils.
A resilient response
Brian Sorensen, taking interim charge of Aston Villa, saw his side dominate possession but fail to convert their advantage into a winning goal. Pauline Peyraud Magnin made four saves in the Crystal Palace goal to keep her team in the contest. The visitors had to show resilience after Lexi Lloyd-Smith received a yellow card for a foul in the first half.
Crystal Palace's recent form shows a team finding its feet in the top flight, with two wins, two draws and one loss from their last five outings. That run includes a 3-0 victory over Charlton Athletic and a creditable goalless draw with Arsenal.
Larkin's goal was her first of the campaign, while Lloyd-Smith, who was also on target against Charlton, remains the side's top scorer with two goals from two appearances. The point leaves Crystal Palace nine points behind league leaders Manchester City but builds momentum ahead of the international break. The full squad list shows the depth manager Laura Kaminski has begun to utilise effectively.
