Rock-bottom Crystal Palace finally made their numerical advantage count as My Cato scored an 88th-minute equaliser to salvage a 1-1 Women’s Super League draw against rivals Brighton.

The Seagulls, leading thanks to a glaring goalkeeping error in the first half, had seemed set to claim victory despite playing from the 47th minute with a player less after Maisie Symonds was sent off on her 22nd birthday.

But after Brighton had spurned chances to kill the game off, Palace levelled when Cato turned home Lily Woodham’s low cross.

Palace, with only one WSL win all season and on a five-match losing streak, then laid siege to the Brighton goal as they searched for a winner and Woodham almost saw a cross find the far top corner while the home side managed to survive a late goalmouth scramble.

In a dramatic finish at the Broadfield Stadium, Brighton then almost stole the points themselves when, in the seventh minute of stoppage time, they broke from a Palace corner and Marisa Olislagers fired against the post with only Milla-Maj Majasaari to beat.

That miss and Cato’s equaliser would have come as a huge relief to Palace goalkeeper Majasaari, whose mistake had gifted Brighton the lead during a first half of few chances.

There appeared little danger when Woodham passed back from near the centre circle, but Finland international Majasaari let the ball go under her foot as she sought to control it and could only look back in horror as it rolled into the net.

Brighton had the chance to double their lead on the stroke of half-time after Majasaari brought down Nikita Parris on the edge of the area, but the Finn did well to keep out Symonds’ resulting free-kick as it headed for the top corner.

Symonds’ next major involvement proved to be her last as she was handed her marching orders at the start of the second half for a late challenge on Everett.

Dario Vidosic’s hosts still looked set to hold on for the win despite that setback, but Palace’s late fightback saw the points shared.