West Ham United Ladies 0-4 Crystal Palace Ladies
There wasn’t a fairytale ending to the West Ham United Ladies’ first match as members of the West Ham family, but they showed plenty of potential throughout their clash against Crystal Palace.
Manager James Marrs had parted company with the club earlier in the week through mutual consent with coach Colin Bennett standing in until a new appointment.
West Ham Ladies had suffered a 4-0 reverse earlier in the season to a very strong and skillful Palace side and were determined to not be overrun again.
They started much the brighter with Shannon Albuery and Chloe Burr linking up well on the right. And it was Albuery who teed up Burr for West Ham’s first shot on target which unfortunately went straight into keeper Chanelle Yardley’s hands.
West Ham were putting their passes together and looked the most likely until a defensive mix up after 17 minutes between Aditi Chauhan and Chantelle Mackie allowed Palace striker Roscelle Shakes to nip in and toe poke the ball into an empty net.
Shortly after, a swift interchange between Albuery and Burr set up Whitney Locke but she scooped her effort well over the bar.
On half an hour, Burr and Mackie put in Albuery who had her fierce shot blocked by a last ditch tackle. Five minutes later Albuery made another great solo run but blasted over from close range.
Crystal Palace came out for the second half and seemed to step up a gear. West Ham couldn’t seem to match their first half performance and five minutes in, Shakes doubled her tally after being put clean through one on one with Chauhan.
Ten minutes later Chauhan’s short goal kick put Amy Cooper under too much pressure, and Gemma Bryan dispossessed her before finishing clinically.
On 62 minutes, it was Bryan again who found the back of the net whilst the West Ham defence were appealing in vain for offside.
With a quarter of an hour remaining, hard working midfielder Sasha Kelly made way for club captain Karen Ray’s swan song. It was her last game as a player before taking on a coaching role at the club.
With Palace reduced to ten players through injury, they decided to shut up shop and reduced West Ham Ladies to one last shot on goal, a 30-yard effort from Katie Bottom which Yardley comfortably dealt with.
History had repeated itself, but as the game drew to a close, even in defeat, the winter sun could not cast a shadow over the Ladies’ bright future as an integral part of West Ham United Football Club.
Manager for day Colin Bennett said after the game: “It was a good game and the girls played well, especially in the first half. The second half was a slightly different story, but we worked hard and it was pleasing to see their attitude right until the end of the game rather than letting their heads drop.
“Overall, it’s another step forward in our development towards the success we are looking for as a club, and as we build for the future.”
West Ham Ladies: Aditi Chauhan, Olivia Sammons, Hannah Wheeler, Katie Bottom, Chantelle Mackie, Amy Cooper, Kat Clifton, Sasha Kelly, Whitney Locke, Shannon Albuery, Chloe Burr.
Subs: Karen Ray, Sarah Wilson, Steph Bent.