Albion held to a draw by Crystal Palace

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Own goal puts Albion ahead but Symonds is sent off before Palace equalise late on in 1-1 draw.

Bruce Talbot

2025-02-02T16:00+00:00

Pauline Bremer tested Palace keeper Milla-Maj Majasaari with this effort in the second half. 📷 Kyle Hemsley.

Albion were held to a point by bottom of the table Palace after playing most of the second half with ten players.

On her 22nd birthday, midfielder Maisie Symonds was shown a straight red four minutes after the break for a foul on Palace skipper Aimee Everett.

Albion had led after 19 minutes through Lily Woodham’s own goal and Melina Loeck, making only her third WSL start, was rarely threatened but had no chance when My Cato equalised with a deflected shot five minutes from time.

In ten minutes of stoppage time both sides might have won it. Josie Green’s header was cleared off the line before Marisa Olislagers hit the post. A draw was probably the fairest outcome.

Nikita Parris is heavily marked by Palace defenders in the second half. 📷 Kyle Hemsley.

Palace lined up in a 5-3-2 with both fullbacks sitting deep and Albion dominated possession early on. They nearly made the breakthrough in the second minute but Nikita Parris couldn’t divert an inviting right-wing cross from Mady Haley towards the target.

Neither could Pauline Bremer when Vicky Losada cushioned a pass into the German’s path and she failed to test Palace keeper Milla-Maj Majasaari.

It was evident that Albion would need patience to break Palace down but they were given a big helping hand in the 19th minute when Majasaari under no pressure failed to control Lily Woodham’s back pass from 40 yards out and the ball rolled into the empty net.

Albion had a measure of control for the rest of the first half but Palace had their moments too. Woodham broke into space on the left-hand side of the box but couldn’t keep her shot down then just before the break Katie Stengel hit a right-foot shot on the turn narrowly wide after it had taken a deflection.

Pauline Bremer brings the ball under control. 📷 Kyle Hemsley.

Majasaari dived full length to her left to save Jelena Cancovic’s free-kick but the visitors were far from out of it at half-time.

Majasaari got behind a well-struck shot from Bremer just after the break but then came Symonds’ aberration as her late challenge caught Everett on the ankle. After waiting a few moments, referee Stacey Fullicks showed Symonds a red card. The challenge was mis-timed but it didn't appear to be malicious.

Melina Loeck made only her third league start against Crystal Palace. 📷 Kyle Hemsley.

Albion reorganised into a back four and the game got increasingly scrappy with lots of fouls and turnovers of the ball. The hosts threatened on the break twice in a minute midway through the second half. Substitute Olislagers fired wide after Haley’s cross found her unmarked then Parris broke into the box but her angled shot was blocked.

Albion were being increasingly penned back though and with five minutes to go Palace got a scrappy equaliser. Woodham pulled the ball back from the left and Cato’s low strike took a deflection on its way into the corner with Loeck, who'd had little to do, left helpless.

Rachel McLauchlan plays the ball past Hayley Nolan. 📷 Kyle Hemsley.

Ten minutes of stoppage time nearly brought goals at both ends. Woodham’s close-range header from a corner was nodded off the line by Guro Bergsvand and Albion broke quickly. Parris’s cross found Olislagers in on goal and although her right-foot shot beat Majasaari it came back off the right-hand post. Albion had come that close but at least their unbeaten home record remains intact.

Albion: Loeck, Thorisdottir, Bergsvand, Pattinson, Losada (Carabali 90+5), Symonds, McLauchlan, Bremer (Olislagers 54), Cancovic, Haley (Agyemang 81), Parris.