Report & Highlights: Resilient Palace edge out Nottingham Forest
Crystal Palace Women continued their superb league form in 2026, as they beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 in the Barclays Women's Super League 2.
Summary:
Swaby gets her first start of the year, whilst Nolan drops out due to injury.
- 7: Blanchard tests the goalkeeper with a dipping shot from outside the box
- 9: GOAL - Everett nods home from Howat's clipped cross
- 17: Brilliant work from Napier sees Weerden released on the left-wing but Batty is there to claim her cross
- 34: Weerden's effort slams into the side netting after another flowing Palace move
- 38: Napier prevents a certain Forest goal on the line
- 43: Blanchard's effort is just over the bar
- HT: Palace 1 - 0 Forest
- 59: Yañez saves well from Kiernan's effort in the box
- 61: Weerden tries her luck from a free-kick, but it's just wide
- 77: Instinctive save from Yañez keeps it at 1-0
- 82: Larkin sees her shot blocked
- 90+8: A stunning set of saves and blocks prevent Forest from scoring
- FT: Palace 1- 0 Forest
Jo Potter's side made it three league wins in a row, as an early header from Aimee Everett proved to be the difference.
It was a fast start from the Eagles, and Palace took the lead with just nine minutes played.
Kirsty Howat received a short corner from Ashleigh Weerden, and floated an inviting cross into the box.
The skipper was there to meet it, powering a header beyond Emily Batty and into the bottom corner.
It was her first goal for Palace since the 2023/24 season, and the delight was written across her face.
Forest almost tied things up on 38 minutes, after some fine work from Jessie Stapleton.
There to deny her was Jamie-Lee Napier though, who blocked her effort on the line superbly.
That was the visitor's best attempt in the first-half, as Palace managed to keep them at bay.
There were less chances for either side in the second-half, with both defences on top.
Palace still looked the likelier of the two sides however, with Weerden and Abbie Larkin going close.
There was last minute drama though, as Forest committed players forward to grab the equaliser.
It looked for all the world as if Georgia Brougham had scored from a corner in the eighth minute of injury time, but Shae Yañez somehow clawed the ball away from goal.
The Palace defenders blocked the several subsequent efforts on goal and cleared the ball to safety, denying the visitors any hope of late drama.
This result means that Palace remain in third-place, with a trip to Newcastle up next.
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Palace: Yañez (GK), Napier, Cato, Everett, Sharpe, Howat (Hughes, 62), Weerden, Ladd, Blanchard (Brown, 86), Larkin, Swaby
Subs not used: Annets, Arthur, Brady, Riley, Littlejohn, Newell
Nottingham Forest: Batty (GK), Stapleton, Brougham, Mustaki, Hed, Rowe, Omewa (Claypole, 74), Brown, Kiernan (Rose, 74), Murphy, Boye-Hlorkah
Subs not used: Ferguson (GK), Johnson, Wellings, Olding, Green, Smith, Hibbert-Johnson