Bethany England experienced mixed emotions after her first Crystal Palace goal helped the Eagles secure a valuable draw against Birmingham. The striker converted from close range in the second half, but Palace were ultimately denied victory by a late equaliser.
Palace had to recover from a difficult opening period after conceding inside the first five minutes. Birmingham applied sustained pressure before the interval, and England acknowledged that the visitors were stronger in the contests for first and second balls during the opening 45 minutes.
The Eagles responded with a much-improved display after the restart, taking the game to their opponents and creating more opportunities. England’s equaliser arrived in the 70th minute after Sierra Enge’s effort struck the crossbar, allowing her to finish from close range.
Lexi Lloyd-Smith then put Palace in front seven minutes later, only for Suzu Amano’s deflected late finish to ensure the points were shared. England admitted she was frustrated after missing an earlier header, but was pleased to get on the scoresheet and made clear her ambition to add many more goals for the club.
Palace will next face Charlton Athletic in the Subway Players Cup in midweek before travelling to Aston Villa on Sunday. England expects another demanding contest against the promoted side, while viewing the cup fixture as an opportunity for the squad to build match sharpness and maintain fitness.
