Reading Women suffered another narrow cup defeat in their Combined Counties Cup quarter-final tie at Maidenhead United on Wednesday night, with the Magpies’ Katie Akerman scoring the only goal of the match to secure a 1-0 win at York Road.
The United midfielder struck a fierce long-range effort in the 70th minute to earn the Magpies a spot in the semi-finals. It was the only difference between the two sides, with Reading having more than held their own against the higher-placed team.
This result made
it the third time this season the Royals have exited a cup competition after a narrow 1-0 defeat (alongside the defeats to Ascot United in the Berks & Berks Cup and to AFC Portchester in the semi-final of the League Cup).
When you include the 2-1 loss to Brentford in the FA Cup, it’s also the third time that Reading have battled well but just come up short, ultimately being edged out by higher-placed, tier-four opposition.
If feels like this Reading team are close to getting it right. Dogged, resilient and defensively tight but, as earlier league results have also shown, it’s that quality, ruthlessness and clinical finishing in the final third which is costing them.
Even after last weekend’s 7-0 win at Badshot Lea, Reading have still only scored more league goals than the bottom three sides (Sholing, Woodley United and Badshot Lea).
Conversely, in defence, Reading have been stingy. They’re the second-best in the division, having conceded just 14 goals from 14 league matches, with only league-leaders Wycombe Wanderers letting in fewer (13, but impressively from 19 games).
After Ed Jackson-Norris left Maidenhead in the summer to join Reading, with a few of the players following him too – and not forgetting the cancelled pre-season friendly – it felt like this match was always destined to happen.
Maidenhead play their football one level above Reading, in Division One South West. With two matches remaining, the tier-four side are well placed to finish in a very respectable fifth place.
They’ve been involved in a good battle with local rivals Ascot United, sitting just above them in the league but losing out in a 2-1 defeat to the Yellas in the final of the Berks & Bucks Cup last month.
The Magpies came into this match in mixed league form, picking up six points from their last five, including three draws.
With neither team playing over the Easter weekend, it was all set for another entertaining encounter under the floodlights. There were fans a plenty, with many clad in just their club colours and t-shirts on what could almost be mistaken for a pleasant summer’s evening.
As for Reading, they were in confident mood after their ‘magnificent seven’ against Badshot Lea and the previous penalty 8-7 shoot-out victory over tier-four side Actonians (who play their football in the Division One South East league).
The line-up showed three changes from the last match, with the great news that regular goalkeeper Sophie Butler (in place of emergency cover Scarlett Bowcott, who made her excellent debut for the Royals in the previous game) was back between the posts, after a hand injury forced her off the field late in the semi-final against AFC Portchester just over two weeks ago.
Bethan Poole and Tia Johnson were back in the starting XI with Poppy Whitburn and Georgia Hayes in among the ‘finishers’.
Team: Sophie Butler (GK), Bethan Poole (Keziah Banduka, 67; Keren Banduka, 80), Belle Rowden, Sarah Thompson, Keziah Banduka (Poppy Whitburn, 58), Jazz King (Ellie Manners, 80), Mia Parker (captain) (Lucy Bolitho, 80), Ellie Szekeres, Tyra Wilson, Nat Cowell (Georgia Hayes, 45), Tia Johnson (Nat Cowell, 80)
Reading goalscorers: None
Maidenhead United goalscorer: Katie Akerman, 70’
Reading yellow cards: None
Maidenhead United yellow cards: Molly McKeever, 52’; Katie Akerman, 90+7
Reading red cards: None
Maidenhead United red cards: None
First half
It was fairly even first half, with not much to choose between the two teams. Although the home side enjoyed more of the attacking pressure, together with a couple of early corners, the Royals soaked that up well, with neither goalkeeper really tested throughout the opening 45 minutes.
Reading ‘keeper Butler was alert at the near post with a strong arm to block an effort for an United corner.
The Royals earned their only corner of the first half, after Poole and Cowell combined, the resultant set-piece coming to nothing.
With both teams combative, there were a few fouls conceded for each side, with the set-piece opportunities wasted all round, often going straight to the goalkeepers or directly out of play.
With five minutes of the first half remaining, it was Reading who came closest with the best chance of the opening half.
Royals right-back Poole broke down the wing to deliver a ball into Cowell, who was just unable to connect. Under pressure, the ball was only cleared as far as Parker on the edge of penalty area, her volleyed effort dipping agonisingly close but just over the crossbar.
Half-time: 0-0
There was a tactical change by Jackson-Norris at half-time, Cowell rested at the break and replaced by Hayes, with Johnson moving into the centre forward position.
The opening period of the second half was pretty much more of the same, with Rowden and Wilson both firing free-kicks directly at the goalkeeper or out of play. Maidenhead’s Molly McKeever picked up an early yellow card in what was becoming a stop-start match.
With the Royals still disputing an incorrect throw-in decision, United were quick to capitalise and broke quickly to force another near-post save from the Reading ‘keeper.
Jackson-Norris started to make changes, introducing Whitburn at right-back (for Keziah Banduka) and swapping Poole over to left-back (with Keziah Banduka back on and in the left-back position 10 minutes later, as the Reading manager looked to use the rolling-substitutes provision).
With 20 minutes of normal time remaining, the winning goal came out of the blue. It was a great long-range effort from United’s busy midfielder Akerman, her fierce strike catching out Butler in the Reading goal. 1-0.
Reading pushed on, Wilson firing in a cross from the left, but held comfortably by the commanding Maidenhead goalkeeper, Kenny Clarke.
With time running out and Reading looking for an equaliser, Jackson-Norris made four more changes, reintroducing Cowell, alongside the attacking options of Keren Banduka, Bolitho and Manners.
Inevitably, gaps appeared as the tired Royals gambled and charged forward, with Maidenhead finding a bit more room. Whitburn made a superb last-ditch sliding tackle and Butler pulled off a couple of great saves to deny the opposition from extending their lead.
In the end, the effort wasn’t enough and the Royals’ hunt for a cup final and piece of silverware came to an end for this season.
Full-time: 1-0
It was a closely fought match with the solitary goal the only difference between the two sides. For any neutrals watching, I’m sure it would have been difficult to tell which team plays at higher level. This was another testament to a Royals team who, let’s not forget, are still only at the start of their comeback journey.
Reading fans and players don’t have to wait long for their match, with the team back in league action this Sunday (April 12, 2pm kick-off). It’s another difficult away fixture: a trip to AFC Portchester at the Onsite Group Stadium, with the hosts still very much involved in the title race.
See you there!
