C&K Basildon Ladies lost their first league match of the season to an impressive Crystal Palace outfit.

Despite goals from Hannah Porter and Kathleen Clifton Crystal Palace came away with the three points to claw themselves to within two points of their Essex rivals.

Cherie Rowlands, the former Arsenal goalkeeper, made her debut between the posts for C&K and it was the visitors that started on top.

Zoe Rushen’s effort arrowed narrowly off target before Carly Eagles saw her shot go just wide of the post.

Palace opened the scoring inside the opening 10 minutes, when their forward was able to cut inside and strike low into the corner of the net.

But C&K hit back immediately, Rushen getting in behind the Palace defence to force a corner and Porter was on hand to smash the loose ball into the roof of the net from close range.

Sara Sinclair saw her goalbound shot cleared off of the line soon after before Crystal Palace hit the post.

Rushen saw an effort of her own hit the upright, before Amy Nash and Karissa Rodney both saw shots saved.

But, against the run of play, Palace re-took the lead when a free-kick into the Basildon penalty area deflected off of a Basildon defender and into the net.

Rowlands was forced to tip the ball past the post in a tighter second half before Palace opened up a two goal lead with 25 minutes to play – the striker sliding her shot beyond the hand of the keeper.

Basildon reduced arrears with 15 minutes remaining after Sinclair’s cross was parried and Clifton was on hand to slide the ball into the net.

Nash had a chance to salvage a point but her shot went flying over the crossbar.

Basildon: Rowlands, Will, Porter, Lawler, Clifton (Shafier), Rushen, Stephanou, Eagles, Rodney, Sinclair, Nash l BASILDON’s Development team drew 0-0 at Portsmouth.