Crystal Palace edge out Ipswich Town in five goal thriller

Crystal Palace Women sailed into second place in Group D after a convincing win over Ipswich Town in the Subway Women’s League Cup.

A double by Emma Watson and Allyson Swaby ensured the Eagles were on top form to reach the last group stage game in style.

Palace, who were third from bottom in the group after a heavy defeat by London City Lionesses, started strongly but were evenly matched by Ipswich’s defence and attacking play.

Ipswich were looking to bounce back after a mixed bag of results, where they lost 1-3 to Leicester City in the Cup. 

Both teams were looking to progress after those heavy defeats left both sides without any points or little to no wins. Palace were dominant across all competitions, drawing two, and winning eight matches in thirteen.

The Eagles lined up in a 3-4-3 formation, presenting a strong attacking front, while the Tractor Girls opted for a 4-3-3, bolstering their defence with Grace Neville, Paige Peake, Elise Hughes, and Megan Wearing.

This marked their fourth head-to-head appearance across all competitions. 

First half 

The match started with Ipswich starting strong, pressing Palace early and creating several chances.

Ipswich’s Shauna Guyatt had a close-range opportunity early on, only for Palace goalkeeper Eve Annets to punch the ball clear. Ipswich continued to threaten with long shots and tap-ins, but struggled to convert, leaving early openings for Palace to exploit.

By the middle of the first half, Palace dominated possession: controlling 61% compared to Ipswich’s 39%, and began to create meaningful chances in the final third. The Eagles broke the deadlock in the 37th minute, when midfielder Watson finished a well-worked chance to make it 1-0.

The Tractor Girls quickly equalised just before halftime, with Natasha Thomas tapping in from close range to level the score at 1-1. However, the Eagles pushed further, with Watson restoring Palace’s lead. 

Both teams had a series of missed opportunities throughout the half. Ipswich created dangerous chances but were unable to finish, while Palace’s Annabel Blanchard also missed a few good opportunities. 

The half featured a tense scramble in the Palace penalty box, highlighting Ipswich’s attacking pressure, but Palace’s defence held firm.

Ipswich used their forwards effectively in advanced positions but lacked clinical finishing. Palace exploited gaps on the counterattack and found success with well-timed runs from Watson. 

The Tractor Girls needed to be more clinical in the second half, while Palace consolidated their lead and continued to exploit the spaces left by The Blues' attacking approach.

Second half 

Palace made a triple substitution early in the half, aiming to inject fresh energy into their attack. 

They continued to dominate possession, holding around 62% of the ball, creating more shots on target, and pushing forward consistently. However, they initially struggled to break down Ipswich’s defence and needed to be more clinical in front of the goal.

Early opportunities for Palace went begging. Blanchard showed quality but also failed to capitalise on a few chances. Despite possessing power and momentum, Palace could not find the breakthrough immediately.

Ipswich, meanwhile, showed dominant attacking power but lacked finishing precision. In the 68th minute, Ipswich’s Peake levelled the score with a left-footed free-kick, making it 2–2. 

Justine Vanhaevermaet came off the bench and made an immediate impact, producing several shots on target. Ipswich came close to taking the lead after a slip-up by Annets, but Palace continued to press.

Palace thought they had retaken the lead in the 77th minute when Blanchard scored from an open goal, but the effort was ruled offside. 

Ipswich defended well to deny further opportunities, but Palace’s persistence paid off in the 83rd minute when Sawby scored a close-range goal to make it 3–2.

Palace continued attacking, trying to exploit the flanks, and goalkeeper Laura Hartley made key saves to deny the Eagles further. 

Eight minutes of added time saw Palace growing increasingly clinical, determined, and resilient, while Ipswich had a late chance from Peake saved.

Palace’s substitutions and persistence in attack turned the tide in their favour. Ipswich dominated possession at times but lacked finishing. Palace’s clinical edge, determination, and tactical adjustments in the second half secured a deserved victory.

Full Time: Crystal Palace 3 – Ipswich Town 2. 

What's Next 

The Eagles face an away trip to Leicester City on the 23rd of November, while the Tractor Girls play London City Lionesses in the final game of the group stage at the Colchester Community Stadium.  

Both teams are determined to progress into the quarterfinals, with the top team from each group advancing. However, with Barclays Women’s Super League teams as contenders, this will not be an easy task.