it’s matchday
Welcome back to the VBS Community Stadium in Sutton, where Crystal Palace Women take on Ipswich Town in the Barclays Women’s Super League 2!
Happy Easter to everyone that is celebrating with us today. There will be a special Easter treat for the first 500 fans who come through the gates today, so make sure you get here nice and early!
The stakes are higher than ever for Jo Potter’s team, with just three games remaining in the WSL2.
If Palace win all three, they guarantee a promotion playoff spot –giving them a chance to immediately return to the topflight.
As always, we will have our free Arts and Crafts and Facepainter
stations in the Fanzone, as well as our popular half-time penalty shootout.
Situated just beyond the Collingwood Road Stand at the far side of the stadium, the Fanzone will open at 12:30 BST (90 minutes before kick-off).
As part of our ongoing ‘Alcohol in the Bowl’ trial, fans can also enjoy an alcoholic beverage in their seat and watch the match unfold.
As ever, show your support for the team and get behind the Eagles!
4-3 3-2
Hattie Hughes
Mali Somboongedd
blanchard
jopotter
welcome back to the VBS Community Stadium, and happy Easter to all who celebrate.
There is an undeniable buzz around the ground today, and frankly, it’s wellearned. Standing here feels different than it did just a few weeks ago.
When we walked out at Selhurst Park for the South London derby last Sunday, we knew we were facing a defining moment in our season. What followed was a performance I can only describe as outstanding.
To see nearly 4,000 fans fill the stands was a powerful statement of where this team is going. You could feel the atmosphere from the first minute to the last, and as I said after the final whistle, that energy really does carry the players.
Beating the league leaders in that fashion was fantastic to see – we imposed our game on them and scored three against the best defence in the division. When Hayley Ladd pulled that equaliser out of the bag just before the break, it changed everything.
It stopped them from slowing the game down and gave us the platform for Kirsty Howat and Abbie Larkin to take control in the second half.
Even when things got nervy in those final ten minutes, the players showed exactly why we are in the position we are in. They didn’t get frustrated; they managed the game,
bought the fouls we needed, and stood up to the battle. To beat a side of Charlton’s calibre 3-2 under that kind of pressure proved that this squad has the temperament for the big occasion.
That win has placed promotion firmly in our hands. The stakes are clear: we have three games left between us and a guaranteed play-off spot. Today against Ipswich Town, and our upcoming fixtures against Sunderland and Portsmouth, are three cup finals.
There is no room for complacency. While the Charlton win was a peak, we must now show the consistency to see this through to the finish line. Ipswich will arrive today with their own ambitions, and they will be looking to spoil the party.
My message to the players remains the same: hold onto the feeling of that Selhurst win but stay clinical. We need that same high-press and the same bravery in possession if we want to take all three points today.
I am imploring every one of you to bring that "Selhurst roar" here to the VBS for these final two home games. Those 4,000 voices a few weeks ago weren't just background noise; they were the twelfth man that got us over the line. Let’s make our home an intimidating fortress for
the remainder of the run-in. You’ve seen what these players can do when the support is rocking, let’s give them that platform again and cross the line together.
Enjoy the game.
Jo Potter
aimee everett
Welcome back to the VBS, and happy Easter to all who are celebrating with us today.
it's great to be back home. I’ve said it before, but there are certain days in a footballing career that stay with you forever, and our last home game against Charlton at Selhurst Park was exactly that.
On behalf of the whole squad, I want to thank the nearly 4,000 of you who came out to support us. Seeing that many Palace fans in the stands was a powerful reminder of how far this team has come and the respect we’ve earned as a group.
That afternoon was a massive statement for Crystal Palace. To go toe-to-toe with the league leaders in a five-goal thriller and come out on top is exactly what this club is about.
Seeing Hayley Ladd, Kirsty Howat, and Abbie Larkin find the net especially Hayley’s crucial equaliser just before the breakwas incredible. But what stayed with me most was the noise. When things got nervy in those final ten minutes after their penalty, the roar from the stands was what kept us composed. We played the game, not the occasion and we reaped the rewards from it.
The result of that win is that promotion is now firmly in our hands. However, the job is not done.
We have three battles left against Ipswich Town, Sunderland, and Portsmouth. Three cup finals and we need to win every single one of them to guarantee that promotion play-off spot.
Ipswich are a tough side who will be up for the fight, so we can’t afford any drop in intensity. It was a tough game away at their place and I’m sure it will be again today. We need to be as clinical and disciplined today as we were at Selhurst.
My message to the girls this week has been simple: we’ve done the hard work to get into this position, now let’s finish it. We've shown we can win ugly and we've shown we can dominate; now we just need to be professional.
I am asking all of you to bring that same Selhurst energy to the VBS today. We have just two home games left this season, and your support is our secret weapon. Whether it’s helping us buy a foul, helping us manage the game in the dying minutes, or just giving us that extra yard of pace, we feel your impact on the pitch.
That atmosphere from the first whistle to the last is what makes the VBS such a difficult place for visiting teams to play. We are playing for the badge, for each other, and for the chance to make history for this club.
Let’s make our home a fortress for this final push and ensure we leave everything on the pitch.
Keep the noise up, enjoy the game, and let’s keep climbing together.
Up the Palace!
Aimee Everett
last time out
Crystal Palace Women triumphed in the Selhurst Showdown, as goals from Hayley Ladd, Kirsty Howat and Abbie Larkin sealed a stunning 3-2 win against the league leaders.
It wasn't all smooth sailing though, as the visitors took the lead on the 39th minute - courtesy of Amalie Thestrup.
A dangerous corner was floated to the back post and headed back across goal, to where Thestrup was waiting to poke home.
It was an opener against the run of play, as Palace had started the stronger in South London.
The Eagles did go into the break level though, courtesy of Hayley Ladd.
It was added time at the end of the first-half, and Abbie Larkin managed to find Annabel Blanchard on the edge of the box.
The midfielder saw her effort blocked, with the deflection falling at the feet of Ladd.
She opened her body up and struck the ball first time, curling the ball perfectly into the bottom corner.
Selhurst Park erupted, and Palace had their equaliser just before the break.
Palace started the second-half like they ended the first, and were ahead with 55 minutes on the clock.
A fine cross from Ashleigh Weerden was met by Molly-Mae Sharpe at the back post, who headed the ball across goal.
Waiting to receive it was Kirsty Howat, who nodded the ball in from close range.
Despite the lead, it was Jo Potter's side that kept pushing for the next goaland they found it on the 76th minute.
Weerden broke again down the left-wing, hesitated, and floated a wonderful cross to the back post.
Jumping for it was Larkin, who powered a header beyond Sophie Whitehouse and into the net to make it 3-1.
There was late drama in SE25 though, as the visitors were awarded a penalty on the 80th minute, after My Cato was adjudged to have fouled in the box.
Emma Bissell converted from the spot, setting up a nervy final few minutes for the Palace fans.
The defence held firm though and soaked up the pressure, and Selhurst Park exploded at the full-time whistle.
The result kept Palace in thirdplace with just three games to go.
Ipswich Town
New Team on the Block
Ipswich Town WFC are new to the Barclays Women's Super League 2 for the 2025/26 season, having earned promotion as champions of the FAWNL South Division in the 2024/25 campaign.
Superstar quality
Music superstar and lifelong fan Ed Sheeran also has a notable connection to the club, as he holds a 1.4% stake in Ipswich Town. He grew up near Ipswich and is often seen at games.
A new era
The club made a significant step in their development by turning professional in June 2021, with Sophie Peskett signing their first professional women's contract. Eight more players signed professional deals after Peskett, including their leading all-time scorer, Natasha Thomas.
Thomas the legend
Jamaica striker Natasha Thomas is an Ipswich Town legend, having made over 250 appearances and scored 174 goals for the club. The 30-year-old is still at the club, and has scored two goals in 17 appearances so far this season.
sophie peskett
Sophie Peskett – The top scorer in the Southern Premier Division last year, Peskett has continued her fine form into this season. She has three goals and five assists in the WSL2 so far, helping keep Town above the drop in 11th place. Peskett was the first ever Ipswich Town Women’s player to sign a professional deal with the club, putting pen to paper in 2021 when she was just 18.
Manager – David Wright
Over the 90 minutes, that was the best performance that we've put together since I've been in charge of the girls.
HOW THE EAGLES SOAR.
playerstats
Crystal palace f.c.
Eve
Kirsty
Ashleigh
Lola
Josie
Annabel
