MIDFIELDER Lucia Kendall admitted the 2-1 defeat to Championship rivals Crystal Palace was "disappointing" but insists Saints are determined to respond.

First-half goals from Isibeal Atkinson and Elise Hughes put the visitors in control at St Mary's before Marieanne Spacey-Cale's side mustered a fightback after the break.

The 19 year old, who captained the side against the Eagles, scored to pull the game back to 2-1 but the hosts were ultimately unable to earn a point late in the game.

Kendall insisted the first-half display was not good enough and they were rightfully punished for their slow start.

She told the Daily Echo: "In the first half, we just were not good enough really. That is fundamentally what it is down to.

"We can’t have 45 minutes at this level not playing anywhere near the way that we can play. In the second half, we came out better, but you get punished at the top level.

"The way we finished the game was how we should have started the game. We have high expectations of ourselves.

"We must regroup and try and find a way to have that last 20 minutes throughout the whole period of the game."

With leaders Charlton Athletic, Sunderland, and Birmingham City all dropping points over the weekend - Saints still remain in a good position, just three points off the top.

They face an FA Cup tie against Women's Super League side Manchester United on Sunday before attention again turns to league matters.

Saints travel to Birmingham on Sunday, February 18 and Kendall believes that game offers the south coast side a perfect opportunity to put themselves back in a strong position.

She claimed: "We have got to react. We are very lucky with the situation that we are in. We’ve got to react for the Birmingham game especially.

"We must go and get three points in that game. Everything that we do from now until then is going to be focused on that."

Only four points separate the top five teams in the division and it's expected to be an exciting conclusion to the season.