Park stunner helps City storm the Palace

A phenomenal Jess Park chip from distance set the Blues on our way on the stroke of half-time before Jill Roord confidently swept home number two soon after the restart.

Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw then completed the scoring when she headed home a third just after the 70-minute mark to put the tie to bed at Selhurst Park.

The result extends our unbeaten start to ten matches in all competitions and maintains top spot in the WSL in the process.

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What happened?

With Manchester United drawing with Arsenal earlier on, City knew there was an opportunity to gain ground at the WSL summit with a win of our own at Selhurst Park.

But in our way were a Palace side who had started to find their feet in the top flight, picking up four points and conceding just twice in their previous three WSL outings.

It was City in the ascendancy from the get-go though, with Shaw forcing Shae Yanez into a save down to her right inside two minutes.

Palace were resolute but struggling to deal with the visitors’ fluid attacking play, particularly from Lauren Hemp who fizzed an effort just wide of the mark after 20 minutes.

City continued to turn the screw with further chances falling to Park and Aoba Fujino, but the pressure would eventually tell on the stroke of half-time.

It was another moment of brilliance from Park, who spotted Yanez off her line and found the top corner with an exquisite chip around 25 yards from goal.

Her nonchalant celebration belied the quality of the strike, with the midfielder perhaps already on the way to boasting her own showreel of Goal of the Season contenders following her opening day strike at Arsenal six weeks ago.

City could even have added to the advantage before the break with Hemp and Shaw both sending efforts just over the bar.

The Blues went even closer to a second inside three minutes of the restart, with Yanez producing an outstanding fingertip save to flick Jill Roord’s header back across goal away from danger.

But it was clear that Gareth Taylor’s side were reaching a crescendo and when the Dutch international was presented with another chance, she wasn’t going to be denied a second time.

Ghosting into the box and meeting a loose ball from Leila Ouahabi’s cross, the midfielder confidently swept home her second in as many matches for City in at the near post to put some daylight between the sides.

Palace refused to lie down though and had their first real sight of goal on the hour when Annabel Blanchard fired over from a tight angle following Khiara Keating’s punch away.

And the hosts went even closer to halving the deficit five minutes later when Katie Stengel hooked an effort against the woodwork after a clever near-post run.

City recovered from that brief scare though and ended any potential murmurings of a comeback when Shaw grabbed her seventh of the season.

Meeting Park’s cross in from the right, the Jamaican powered home an unstoppable header back across goal and into the far corner, taking her WSL tally to four in six games in the process.

Substitute Chloe Kelly went close to what would’ve been a spectacular fourth in stoppage time but her vicious drive from distance was tipped away by Yanez.

It proved one of the final acts of yet another professional display from City, who continue to march on in the WSL.

Player of the Match: Jess Park

Another outstanding goal and performance from the England international, plus an assist for City’s third.

The midfielder was a bundle of energy in the centre of the park for the Blues, and her moment of world class quality was crucial in helping Gareth Taylor‘s side breach a stubborn opponent.

What it means

City remain top of the WSL table with five wins from our opening six matches.

The Blues can only be knocked off pole position if Chelsea win both of their games in hand.

How we lined up

Gareth Taylor made three changes from the side who beat Aston Villa before the international break, with Khiara Keating, Alanna Kennedy and Aoba Fujino all coming into the starting XI.

Keating’s goal was shielded by a back four of Kerstin Casparij, Kennedy, Alex Greenwood and Leila Ouahabi, with Yui Hasegawa sat in front.

Jess Park and Jill Roord completed our midfield three, with Fujino and Lauren Hemp on either flank supporting centre forward Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw.

Palace XI: Yanez, Gibbons, Cato (Arthur 79’), Blanchard (Atkinson 79’), Green (C), Potter, Riley (Larkin 56’), Woodham, Hopcroft (Weerden 46’), Stengel (Sharpe 74’), Aspin.

Subs: Majasaari

City XI: Keating, Casparij, Kennedy, Greenwood (C) (Prior 59’), Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Park (Coombs 74’), Roord (Blindkilde Brown 74’), Fujino (Murphy 81’), Hemp (Kelly 59’), Shaw.

Subs: Startup, Thomas, O’Carroll.

Up next

City are back in WSL action on Friday 8 November, locking horns with Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium.

Kick-off is set for 19:30 (UK), for what is sure to be an enthralling evening of Friday night football.

Some incredible pre-match and half-time entertainment is also planned to keep you entertained outside of the action on the pitch, so don’t miss out!

Tickets are available from just £15 for adults and £5 for Under-16s. Get yours by clicking here.

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