Our Women’s Under-19s secured their spot in the Professional Game Academy League Division One for the second phase of the competition after 1-1 draw with 10-player Crystal Palace on Wednesday afternoon.
Competing in the Southern Division of the PGA League between August and September, the stalemate with Palace at Hotspur Way in our final game of the first phase saw our youngsters secure fifth place and a spot in Division One for the first time in the Club’s Academy programme.
They will be joined by the remaining top four sides in the Southern Division – Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton & Hove Albion and Bristol City - alongside the top half teams from the Northern Division to form the top division in the second phase of the league, which is set to begin in October.
Palace, who were the only side that could jump above us in the table, were dealt a big blow early on in the contest when Selina Williams-Everett was shown a red card just 12 minutes in.
Chances were few and far between in the first period before we eventually broke the deadlock in the second half when Eloise Summers-Mee met Grace Bellwood’s cross to head home.
Despite being down to 10 players for a large portion of the game, Palace fought back and managed to find a leveller midway through the second period, but it was not enough for the Eagles to leapfrog in the table as we avoided defeat to make history in the PGA.