Reading Women put in one of their performances of the season to pick up a valuable point yesterday, with a 1-1 draw against title-chasing AFC Portchester at the Onsite Group Stadium.
A first-half goal from Reading striker Georgia Hayes was cancelled out within two minutes after the referee awarded a penalty to the home side to level the match, after an adjudged handball by defender Sarah Thompson.
After taking four points off league-leaders Wycombe Wanderers earlier in the season, this result means
Reading once again became disrupters in the race to decide who will finish as champions – with the reward of a guaranteed promotion to tier four.
Reading are much more than just a thorn in the side to the title challengers though. It’s great to see how far the team has progressed in such a short space of time, and how close they are to being able challenge for the top spot themselves.
The Royals were up against a home side who needed to secure maximum points in order to keep their Championship ambitions alive and on track after AFC Portchester’s shock 2-1 defeat to Southampton Women last weekend.
Up until that defeat, the Hampshire side were flying high, in a confident mood and closing in on the league leaders, after wins in March against Woodley United, Fleet Town and title rivals Wycombe – not forgetting their 1-0 semi-final victory over Reading in the League Cup at Arbour Park.
It was Reading’s second match in five days, following Wednesday’s unlucky, narrow 1-0 defeat to tier-four side Maidenhead United in the quarter-finals of the Combined Counties Cup.
Royals manager Ed Jackson-Norris made four changes to that team. Poppy Whitburn, Keren Banduka and Hayes came into the starting XI, with goalkeeper Scarlett Bowcott making only her second appearance for Reading (after making her debut in the 7-0 win over Badshot Lea).
With goalkeeper Sophie Butler rested (hopefully allowing a bit more time to recover from the injury to her hand) and Tyra Wilson unavailable, Bethan Poole and Tia Johnson were named among a strong substitutes bench.
Team: Scarlett Bowcott (GK), Poppy Whitburn (Bethan Poole, 72’), Belle Rowden (Ellie Manners, 72’), Sarah Thompson, Keziah Banduka, Jazz King, Mia Parker (captain), Ellie Szekeres (Ava Broke-Smith, 77’), Georgia Hayes (Lucy Bolitho, 77’), Nat Cowell (Tia Johnson, 63’), Keren Banduka
Reading goalscorers: Georgia Hayes, 21’
AFC Portchester goalscorer: Rebecca Bath, 23’
Reading yellow cards: None
AFC Portchester yellow cards: Kim Fuller, 66’; defender, 82’; coach, 83’
Reading red cards: None
AFC Portchester red cards: None
First half
Similar to the semi-final match against Portchester last month, Jackson-Norris was once again bold in his set-up and formation, looking to take the game to the home side.
Hayes and Cowell led the attack with Keren Banduka running from deep – the ball often glued to her foot as she drove forward. Midfielders Szekeres and Parker – together with support from wing-backs Whitburn and Keziah Banduka – pressed high, with King in the number six role disrupting any attacks, alongside the defensive partnership of Rowden and Thompson.
And it worked. From kick-off it was clear to see that any concerns over a midweek hangover could be laid to rest, with every player working hard, pressing high and on the front foot from kick-off.
Within the opening minutes, Hayes and Szekeres combined well down the left to forcing the Portchester goalkeeper Shannon Betteridge into an early save at the near post.
A few minutes later it was the turn of Reading’s goalkeeper: Bowcott alert to save Portchester’s first attempt on target, with Keziah Banduka on hand to clear to safety.
A good spell of pressure earned Reading the first corner of the match. Hayes’ shot was fired over the crossbar though after King’s set-piece delivery had found the striker on the edge of the box.
Player of the match Szekeres showed her credentials early when she slid a great pass through to Whitburn, her shot deflected for Reading’s third corner in quick succession.
With two strikers available, and with the wind blowing in off the coast, route one was an option too. From a long kick, Bowcott released Hayes from the halfway line, but the Reading striker’s pass was just too close to the goalkeeper, looking to find the marauding Keren Banduka in support.
On 21 minutes, Reading got their just reward for the work rate, pressure and play, after Szekeres burst down the left and into the box – her cross fired in by Hayes at the near post. 0-1.
The lead was short-lived as, just two minutes later, the home side were handed a quick lifeline to get back in the match. The referee awarded a penalty to Portchester, with Thompson adjudged to have used her arm to block an attack. Becki Bath stepped up to equalise and slot home her 19th goal of the season. 1-1.
With Portchester buoyed, it was Reading’s turn to fend off a bit of pressure. Rowden headed away a goal-line clearance before the home side won their first corner of the match.
Bowcott pulled off a great save to deflect a fierce shot onto the crossbar before being called into action a few minutes later, getting down low to get a hand on a difficult ball into the box, with Keren Banduka on the goal line to bravely block the follow-up shot.
At the other end, Keren Banduka was unlucky not to put the Royals back in front when the Portchester goalkeeper pulled off a big save to stop a great volley from the Reading striker.
There was still time for one more good chance for the home side when top-scorer Bath made space for a well struck shot – Bowcott diving to her left to save for Portchester’s third corner of the half, keeping the scores level at half-time.
Half-time: 1-1
After no changes at half-time, it was Reading who won the first corner after the restart after some great play by Cowell and Keren Banduka down the left. The resultant set-piece caused chaos with a Portchester player’s attempted defensive header goal-bound but cleared off the line.
With Portchester desperate for the points, there were always going to be chances opening up at both ends. For Reading, Keziah Banduka pulled out a fantastic last-ditch tackle to block a near-certain goal.
At the other end the Royals came close when Keren Banduka released Whitburn, her cross from the left headed just wide by Cowell.
Jackson-Norris has never been afraid to use his substitutes, which is great to see, and yesterday was no exception. The manager utilised his full squad of 16: Johnson was the first of five changes, in a like-for-like swap for Cowell, with just over an hour played.
Frustrations were beginning to show for the home side. Portchester’s Kim Fuller was booked after a reckless challenge on Whitburn, with further cautions dished out to a defender and one of the management team, as the clock ran down.
With fresh legs on the pitch, Reading ended the match as they started: in the ascendancy, King’s sixth corner of the match was initially punched clear, with a second attempt on goal palmed away.
Reading’s ‘finishers’ came close to grabbing all three points. Broke-Smith’s shot was straight at the goalkeeper and, deep into time added on, Bolitho saw her one-on-one shot saved by Betteridge with the last chance of the match.
Full-time: 1-1
This was the first time the two sides have met in the league this season, after a meeting was postponed (due to a waterlogged pitch) back in February. It was a thoroughly entertaining match and sets up an exciting return fixture to look forward to at Arbour Park in Slough next month.
Reading’s best displays have, perhaps understandably, often been against the higher-placed sides, proving they are more than equal to compete at the top end of the table. With the exception of Winchester City Flyers (who appear to have become the bogey team, over two seasons now), Reading have taken points from every side in the league so far (with Fleet Town still to play).
Next weekend’s match (Sunday April 19, 2pm kick-off) is back at Arbour Park, with the Royals taking on Woodley United in the league.
This match has been designated as a Community Day with loads of activities for everyone to enjoy, from arts and crafts to taking part in the speed cage. From midday, the first team will be in the boardroom for a signing session.
If you can get along, it should be a brilliant afternoon of football, for a great cause (helping raise money for the charity Breast Cancer Now) and a chance to celebrate the community, the Loyal Royals and the team on the pitch.
See you there!
Other league matches
- Badshot Lea 0-5 Winchester City Flyers
- Woodley United 0-1 Southampton Women
League standings (top seven teams)
- Wycombe Wanderers: 45 points from 19 matches
- Winchester City Flyers: 37 points from 17 matches
- Southampton Women: 33 points from 18 matches
- Beaconsfield Town: 29 points from 18 matches
- AFC Porchester: 28 points from 14 matches
- Reading: 27 points from 15 matches
- Oxford City: 19 points from 15 matches
