Crystal Palace have ended their winless run with a gritty 1-0 victory over Durham at Maiden Castle this afternoon.
Anna Filbey’s long range rocket towards the end of the first half was enough to settle a feisty encounter in the North East.
Durham started the match strongly and they were unlucky not to establish an early lead. Bridget Galloway headed an effort against the crossbar before visiting keeper Fran Kitching did superbly well to tip Jess Clarke’s powerful long range drive over the bar. Clarke again went close, her effort from the resulting corner being hacked off the goal-line.
Rio Hardy then sent a header straight at Kitching before Beth Hepple failed to test the Crystal Palace keeper with a couple of shots.
It had been all Durham but there was to be a sting in the tail with the visitors breaking the deadlock just before the break. The ball fell kindly to Filbey 25 yards out and she unleashed a venomous effort which flew into the far corner of the net.
Durham were given a golden opportunity to level matters in the final minute of the first half when Sarah Robson was fouled in the box but Hepple saw her penalty kick saved by Kitching.
Hardy again went close early in the second half but she headed wide from a Hepple free-kick. The game had been something of a lively affair in the first period and the temperature on the pitch increased in the second half with hard tackles and a scuffle in the Crystal Palace box which saw Kitching and Dee Bradley booked.
Durham pushed on for an equaliser late in the game and they nearly got it through a dangerous Hepple cross, however, Kitching appeared to get a glove to the ball before a number of visiting players got their bodies behind the loose ball. The Wildcats then thought that they should have been awarded a penalty when Hardy went down but the referee waved away the appeals.
Crystal Palace saw the game out to collect an important victory which ends their three-match losing run in all competitions.
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