Continental Tyres Cup Group One South: Crystal Palace Ladies 1 Tottenham Hotspur Ladies 1 (5-4 after penalties)

Tottenham Hotspur Ladies were left disappointed on Saturday night after they lost 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out to Crystal Palace Ladies in the opening game of the Continental Tyres Cup.

The game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes as Kallie Balfour cancelled out Josie Green’s first-half strike to force the match into penalties.

Sarah Wiltshire, Angela Addison and Sophie McLean all converted their penalties, but an unfortunate miss from Renée Hector led to Ashlee Hincks winning it for Palace with the final spot kick.

The end result meant that Spurs Ladies came away with one point from the London derby, while Palace top Group One South with two points.

Spurs Ladies started the first half with a clear attacking intent and Jess Naz done brilliantly to win a free kick in a dangerous position after two minutes, but Addison’s effort from the set piece went inches over the crossbar.

Shortly after, Coral-Jade Haines played a long free kick into Naz, who tried her luck with a volley from the edge of the box, but it just skimmed over the crossbar.

With plenty of attractive football on show, Haines was involved once more. Her quick through ball to Bianca Baptiste eventually set up Hector for a delightful flick from five yards, but Megan Lynch reacted quickly to deny the defender from a moment of magic.

The home team had their first meaningful chance after 35 minutes when Balfour was fouled just outside the box and a free kick from Hincks was drilled over the crossbar.

Green eventually gave Spurs Ladies a thoroughly deserved lead in the 37th minute when a blocked cross from Addison fell to the midfielder, who fired the ball into the top right corner for 1-0.

The game opened up in the second half and Balfour brought Palace onto level terms in the 64th minute as she slotted the ball past Chloe Morgan into the bottom right corner.

Moments later, Addison won a penalty after she drove into the box with quick feet, leaving the Palace defence with no option but to bring her down. The young attacker stepped up to take her spot kick, only to see her powerful strike rattle the post.

The Lilywhites pushed for a winning goal in the closing stages with efforts from Baptiste and Wiltshire, but in the end they were punished for earlier missed opportunities.

Crystal Palace Ladies: Megan Lynch, Hanah Mackenzie, Anneka Nuttall, Ciara Sherwood, Jade Keogh (Ria Collins 73), Andria Georgiou (Chloe Burr 83), Hope Nash (Leesa Haydock 83), Jordan Butler, Ashlee Hincks, Kallie Balfour, Freya Holdaway ©.

Unused substitutions: Francesca Ali, Megan Chandler, Jade Davenport, Danya Chong.

Tottenham Hotpsur Ladies: Chloe Morgan, Ashleigh Neville (Lucia Leon 82), Renée hector, Jenna Schillaci ©, Josie Green, Coral-Jade Haines (Sophie McLean 63), Jess Naz, Rianna Dean (Sarah Wiltshire 68), Bianca Baptiste, Megan Waynne, Angela Addison.

Unused substitutions: Emma Gibbon, Anna Filbey, Maya Vo, Ryah Vyse.

Attendance: 372