Reading Women made it two wins from two matches at the SCL Stadium this season with a 4-1 victory over Beaconsfield Town in the second round qualifying of the FA Cup on Sunday.
First-half goals from Sophie Bishop and Alice Curr, as well as a brace for Tia Johnson, were enough to secure a place in the hat for the third round qualifying (draw to be made later in the week). Beaconsfield’s Amelia Kimble converted from the penalty spot to grab the only goal of the second half.
It’s the third consecutive
time, since playing in tier five, that the Royals have successfully progressed to this level of the competition.
In 2024/25 they beat Brackley Town 3-2 at this stage and were eventually knocked out by Aylesford Ladies (losing 3-1) in the first round proper. Last year, the team progressed at the expense of Manorcroft United (winning 5-0), only to be knocked out in the next round by Brentford (2-1 defeat) in a closely fought contest.
Ahead of Sunday’s match, the players enjoyed a bit of fun on social media after training, revealing their dream FA Cup opponents: including six of the WSL sides.
Although most of the current squad were in primary or secondary school at the time, some Reading fans in the stadium would have been able to recall just how close the Royals had once come to reaching the FA Cup final.
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In 2018/19, when Reading finished fifth in the WSL, the Royals were harshly knocked out by West Ham United in the FA Cup semi-final.
The Royals eventually lost 4-3 on penalties, after extra-time, at Wycombe Wanderers’ Adams Park – Reading’s home ground at that time (even as a WSL team Reading were not playing their home matches at the Madejski Stadium).
It’s a match which, I’m sure, still haunts fans, after Rachel Furness had headed the Royals into a second-half lead before being pipped back by an Alisha Lehmann equaliser.
With the Royals on top, Lauren Bruton won a penalty, only for Fara Williams to see her spot-kick go agonising close, bouncing off the post with the Wembley arch beckoning, to set up a final against Manchester City (the team Sarah Thompson replied with to the earlier dream FA Cup opponent question).
With Lucy Bolitho released this summer to explore other opportunities (having announced on Saturday that she’s signed for Luton Town), Ed Jackson-Norris still has a squad in excess of 20 players to utilise and carefully manage.
The Reading manager took the opportunity to make five changes to the starting XI from the team that thumped Fleet Town 7-2 in the league last weekend.
In came Keziah Banduka, captain Mia Parker, Martha Riley, Johnson and Bishop, with Nat Cowell, Freya Morgan and Bethan Poole included in a busy (seven-strong, but only five to be used) substitutes bench. Ellie Szekeres and Leah Why were rested.
It was also the first time that players such as Keren Banduka, Ellie Manners, Georgia Hayes and Ava Broke-Smith have all featured in an official competitive match this season.
Team (3-1-4-2): Sophie Butler (GK), Poppy Whitburn (Ellie Manners, 60’), Lara Moore, Sarah Thompson, Keziah Banduka, Mia Parker (captain), Ellie Luscombe (Freya Morgan, 60’), Martha Riley, Sophie Bishop (Ava Broke-Smith, 70’), Tia Johnson (Georgia Hayes, 70’), Alice Curr (Keren Banduka, 70’)
Unused subs: Bethan Poole, Nat Cowell
Reading goalscorers: Sophie Bishop, 2’; Alice Curr, 6’; Tia Johnson, 20’, 44’
Beaconsfield Town goalscorers: Amelia Kimble (penalty), 51’
Reading yellow/red cards: None
Beaconsfield Town yellow/red cards: None
First half
From kick-off, there were contrasting fortunes for both teams.
After taking 43 minutes to bag their first goal at the SCL stadium last weekend, Reading got themselves up and running after just two minutes, Johnson’s perfectly weighted pass allowing the spritely Bishop to run through and coolly finish to open the scoring. 1-0.
Beaconsfield on the other hand arrived on the back of a heavy 8-1 league defeat to Winchester City Flyers in the league and, after conceding early on, must have feared the worst when Reading doubled the lead, just six minutes in.
From a goal-kick, Rams captain Mollie Haines found herself under pressure from Curr, who dispossessed the defender and ruthlessly fired home past Audrey Wakefield in the Town goal. 2-0.
The visitors enjoyed little first-half respite but came close to nabbing a goal of their own when Lillie Bixby turned Reading defender Lara Moore, with her fierce shot luckily going just wide of the post.
Reading striker Bishop was alert from another Beaconsfield goal-kick. She raced into the penalty area and pounced upon the surprised defender, robbing her of the ball and squaring the ball back to Johnson to finish from close range. 3-0.
With Reading in control, midfield architect Riley attempted a shot of her own, unable to get the ball down before firing high and wide of the target. Bishop was unlucky to see her effort hit the post and rebound to safety, after Riley and Johnson had combined well to create the chance.
With the interval looming, Johnson grabbed her second of the match, tucking home a great cross from Curr to set up a comfortable second half for the Royals. 4-0.
The squad features healthy competition for many positions, and if Jackson-Norris wanted the players to give him difficult selection decisions, he may have gotten his wish. This is particularly true in attack, where Bishop (three), Johnson (three) and Curr (four) are already scoring, before last season’s top striker (Cowell) and Keren Banduka have got going.
Half-time: 4-0
If last weekend’s tactic – after scoring six goals in the second half – was to leave the crowd wanting more, as they exited the stadium with goal flurry discussions ongoing, Sunday’s match was pretty done and dusted at the end of the first half.
The second started well enough and Reading were unlucky not to score in the opening minutes when Thompson and Keziah Banduka saw three close-range efforts blocked on the goal-line, from a Curr free-kick, which caused Beaconsfield chaos in the penalty area.
After this initial flurry, although the result was never in danger, Reading appeared to lose their edge, ruthlessness and clinical finishing during the second 45 minutes.
With the scoreboard operator’s finger poised ready for more goals, it was Beaconsfield who created the one bit of additional work, pulling back a single goal after Zuzanna Wojtaszewskaa was felled by Whitburn in the box and Kimble converted the penalty. 4-1.
On the customary hour mark, Jackson-Norris made the first of his changes, with Manners and Morgan on for Whitburn and Luscombe in like-for-like swaps.
10 minutes later it was the turn of the remaining three substitutes to make their mark: Hayes, Broke-Smith and Keren Banduka adding more attacking options into the mix, in place of Curr, Johnson and Bishop.
Although Reading continued to push, zip in a few crosses and get into good positions, they just couldn’t find a way through to extend the lead further and were, at times, unusually sloppy with some of their passing or possession: by the standards they set themselves.
The SCL pitch is big (and I understand bigger than the pitch they train on). Although it didn’t materialise in the second half of this match, I’d like to think Reading’s fitness levels and strength in depth from the bench, together with their familiarity of the stadium surroundings and playing surface, will be an added advantage in the latter part of most matches as visiting players tire.
Saying all that, credit must also be given to visitors Beaconsfield who, after a difficult opening period, rallied to get themselves back in shape with some resolute defending and, apart from the odd bit of cramp, looked sharp and energetic until the end.
Full-time: 4-1
In addition to a confidence-booster for the players and coaching staff, it’s financially important for the Reading bank account too. The winning prize money from this round alone increased the coffers by £3,500 (with £1,000 banked for Beaconsfield Town).
Although the next round is due to be played on Sunday October 4 (meaning the scheduled league match at home to AFC Portchester, who are also through, will have to be rearranged), there’s still some way before the players can fulfil their dreams of playing the top teams.
The WSL2 sides enter the competition in December (third round proper), with the top-flight WSL teams starting in January, in their quest to reach the final (and £430,000 winning prize fund).
Before then, Reading return to league action next weekend (Sunday, September 27, 2:00 kick-off), offering Reading fans another chance to see them at the SCL Stadium. Local rivals Oxford City are the visitors, setting the stage for another bumper crowd of over 400 with both teams in good form.
See you there!
Other FA Cup second round qualifying results (from teams in our league)
- Oxford City 12-0 Penn & Tylers Green
- Andover New Street 3-3 (Pens 4-3) Sholing
- Aylesford 1-4 Denham United
- Badshot Lea 1-9 Farnham Town
- Southampton Women 1-2 AFC Portchester
- Woodley United 1-4 Chesham United
- Winchester City Flyers 7-1 Fleet Town
