It was great to turn on LFCTV and hear that Kirsty Linnett was on the commentary, do have to say the commentary on their streams is always fantastic.
Crystal Palace kicked off but it wasn’t long before Liverpool was on the front foot and in the lead as Rachel Furness and Rinsola Babajide saw Rinsola stride up the line and unleash a hard and powerful shot at the goal giving Liverpool the 1-0 lead after two minutes. It was nice and refreshing to hear that fans could be heard singing for Babajide. She instantly gave them the thumbs up before the game resumed.
Liverpool after such a great start were playing well as they have grown and started to play how Vicky Jepson has moulded them to play. Liverpool were too strong and Palace couldn’t seem to get going chances for Rachel Furness, and Ashley Hodson were both defended well by the Palace defence but they seemed to be camped out in their own half.
Taylor Hinds took a long range effort on the 24th minute a wonderful shot that was met by a fantastic save by Chloe Morgan in the Palace goal. A long ball into the box saw Rachel Furness act fast to pull the ball back to Amy Rodgers on the edge of the box who took a touch and smashed it low and hard into the back of net giving Liverpool a 2-0 lead on the 33rd minute. A goal that was met with a lot of joy and feeling as she has just returned from injury. This was the other side of the scale when Ashley Hodson pulled up holding her hamstring on the 44th minute, hopefully she isn’t too badly injured and can return soon. But she was replaced by Amalie Thestrup on the 44th minute.
Liverpool went into the break with a 2-0 lead and looked good for it, Palace had defended well but couldn’t create much of note to trouble Rachael Laws in the Liverpool goal.
The second half was underway as Crystal Palace kicked off hoping for a better second half performance. Liverpool once again came out the blocks the fastest though when a dangerous corner was cleared off the far post on the 49th minute.
Crystal Palace started to build into the game a little with a free kick by Cherelle Khassal but Rachael Laws was equal to the ball as it come into the box. Palace were causing pressure with a high press. Melissa Lawley was in a dangerous position but couldn’t get the ball under control after a great turn and ball by Amalie Thestrup.
Rachel Furness showed she is not just key up top but also at the back with a fantastic defensive header to stop Palace creating a chance at goal. So many balls flashed across the Palace box but one that stood was when Rinsola Babajide beat Chloe Morgan but as she pulled it back no one was there to turn the ball into the net, which was followed by another chance for Melissa Lawley but it came to nothing as the score remained 2-0.
The two Centre Back’s nearly created a third for Liverpool as Meikayla Moore put in a deep cross as Niamh Fahey as Palace defend well to clear it and as the ball falls to Rinsola Babajide her effort was well blocked and cleared by the Palace CB on the line.
Coral Jade-Haines was a breath of fresh air for Palace as her long-range effort went over the bar on the 66th minute but looked most likely to create or score.
Missy Bo Kearns delivers a great ball into the box but it just manages to clear Melissa Lawley head in the box. The third goal wasn’t long away though as Amalie Thestrup dropped her shoulder and unleashed a low driven shot that rustled into the back of the net giving Liverpool a 3-0 lead on the 75th minute.
Bianca Baptiste is always a threat when she gets the ball and she delivered a great ball into the box but Becky Jane cleared at the far post. Palace never gave up as they tried to chase a goal with another shot by Coral Jade-Haines. It was Liverpool that would create one final chance though as Rinsola Babajide nearly scored a fourth as she caused Chloe Morgan to pull off a fantastic diving save.
No one could stop Rinsola Babajide from adding a fourth in stoppage time as Rachel Furness and Rinsola Babajide combined again that saw Rinsola Babajide hit her shot that hit the post and nestled into the net of the Liverpool fans behind the goal, just before the final whistle went.
Liverpool were fantastic throughout the game and really looked up for it, I’m sure having the fans back helped them keep going through the game as you could see the players during the game and after the game responding to them. Crystal Palace never gave up and were much better in the second half but Liverpool were too strong for them. Rachel Furness and Rinsola Babajide were stand out players during the 90 minutes.
Liverpool: Rachael Laws, Becky Jane, Rhiannon Roberts, Niamh Fahey, Taylor Hinds, Amy Rodgers, Meikayla Moore, Ashley Hodson, Rachel Furness, Rinsola Babajide, Melissa Lawley.
Substitutions – Amalie Thestrup for Ashley Hogson (44), Missy Bo Kearns for Amy Rodgers (64), Lucy Parry for Taylor Hinds (87)
Crystal Palace: Chloe Morgan, Amber Stobbs, Aoife Hurley, Annabel Johnson, Lizzie Waldie, Siobhan WIlson, Hannah Churchill, Leeta Rutherford, Kate Natkiel, Cherelle Khassal, Bianca Baptiste.
Substitutions – Coral Jade-Haines for Kate Natkiel (65), Amber Gaylor for Leeta Rutherford (86), Amy Taylor for Siobhan Wilson (86).
