Reading Women made it two wins in a row with a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Beaconsfield Town at Arbour Park on Sunday.
A goal from captain Mia Parker put the Royals ahead at the break. Strikes from Bethan Poole, Nat Cowell and Tia Johnson saw out a comfortable second half, with Beaconsfield’s Molly Carter grabbing a consolation for the visitors.
The Royals’ 10th league match (and sixth win) means we’re now officially halfway through the season. Although Reading took a while to get into their stride,
they always looked in control, stepping up a gear in the second half to play out what became a very comfortable and dominant performance.
They were up against a Beaconsfield team that have more than held their own in the league since being promoted as undefeated champions from the sixth-tier Southern Region Division One North league last season. They started the match in third place, with 21 points from 12 matches.
The visitors also came to Arbour Park with bragging rights from the reverse game, having defeated Reading 2-1 in the second match of the season, after an 85th-minute winning goal from Katie Riddington.
Although Brian Harris’ Beaconsfield arrived in confident form, having won their last two league matches (with victories over Woodley United and Sholing), they knew they would be in for a tough afternoon against an equally confident Royals team. Reading ended league-leaders Wycombe Wanderers’ 365-day undefeated league streak last weekend.
There was only one change from Reading’s starting XI last weekend. Manager Ed Jackson-Norris selected Georgia Hayes to lead the attack, with player coach Cowell named among the substitutes.
Team: Sophie Butler (GK), Poppy Whitburn (Belle Rowden, 64’), Sarah Thompson, Keziah Banduka (Ellie Szekeres, 64’), Bethan Poole, Jazz King, Mia Parker (captain), Emmi Tong (Tia Johnson, 75’), Lucy Bolitho (Assia Fatri, 75’), Georgia Hayes (Nat Cowell, 72’), Keren Banduka
Reading goalscorers: Mia Parker, 29’; Bethan Poole, 66’; Nat Cowell, 77’; Tia Johnson, 90+4
Beaconsfield Town goalscorers: Molly Carter, 82’
Reading yellow cards: None
Beaconsfield Town yellow cards: Ash Harte, 29’
Reading red cards: None
Beaconsfield Town red cards: None
First half
Although the opening chance of the match came just two minutes in – a looping volley from Reading forward Bolitho held by the Beaconsfield goalkeeper and captain Sophie Cheadle – the game took a long while to really get going and spring into action.
Hayes turned nicely within the penalty area to fire off a shot but it went straight at the goalkeeper.
Halfway through the opening 45 minutes, the visitors came close with a couple of good efforts.
An in-swinging corner from Alix Todd bounced off the top of the crossbar before Royals ’keeper Butler was called into action, acrobatically diving to her left to push the ball away for a corner, after a fierce shot from Town’s Riddington.
On the half-hour mark, a foul on Reading’s Keren Banduka by Ash Harte saw the Beaconsfield defender pick up the only yellow card of the match and give away what turned out to be a very costly free-kick.
King’s delivery caused chaos within the penalty area, the ball finding its way to Parker, who controlled the ball and slotted home from close range to fire the Royals ahead. 1-0.
Reading did enough to control what was a rather flat first half, probably not helped by a referee who didn’t let the game flow (he did like a free-kick!). However, the Royals held strong defensively with Poole and Thompson both strong and Butler alert in goal.
Half-time: 1-0
The half-time break may have been just what was required to remind Reading of how good they can be. Whatever was said worked, with the Royals raising the tempo from the restart and kicking on a few gears to dominate and control the second period.
From kick-off the Beaconsfield goalkeeper was called into immediate action, just doing enough to palm a cross from Hayes, who burst into the penalty area – before saving at the near post from a Bolitho header after another dangerous set-piece from King.
Reading defender Thompson continued from where she left off and headed away a couple of vital clearances from a Beaconsfield corner and a free-kick.
Reading have strength in depth on the bench and Jackson-Norris used all five substitutes throughout the second half. The first double change came around the traditional hour mark, with under-16s graduate Szekeres introduced for her first league appearance (her previous outings were as a sub in both the Berks & Bucks Cup and League Cup) alongside Rowden, who returned after a knock kept her out of last weekend’s match. Off went Whitburn and Keren Banduka.
Just two minutes later Reading not only won their first and only corner of the match but also capitalised on the opportunity in some style to double the lead. King’s set-piece was met beautifully at the back post by Poole, the Reading defender‘s header giving Cheadle no chance in the Beaconsfield goal for her first of the season. 2-0.
Reading were now clearly on top and came close to a third when some great work from the lively Szekeres released Tong, her cross finding Bolitho at the near post, but the headed effort was saved.
It didn’t take long for the Royals to extend their lead further, Beaconsfield punished when trying to play out from the back.
Pressure from the Reading strikers was rewarded when Fatri won the ball on the edge of the penalty area and slipped a delightful pass through to the substitute Cowell, who made no mistake to slot the ball into the far corner for her 11th goal of the season. 3-0.
The only blot on what was otherwise an efficiently ruthless performance came when Reading conceded with just eight minutes of time remaining. It was a silly goal to concede: a bit of over-confidence meant the normally faultless Thompson was caught on the edge of her own penalty area, the resultant shot from a Beaconsfield striker hitting the crossbar and falling nicely for Carter to tuck home from close range for a consolation goal. 3-1.
Four minutes into time added on, Reading had the last say when Johnson met a drilled cross from Cowell to rocket a first-time strike into the net for her first league goal of the season too. 4-1.
Full-time: 4-1
It’s the second victory on the bounce after a disappointing 3-2 home defeat to Winchester City Flyers at the start of the year. It’s been quite a turnaround, made all the more impressive when floodlight failure up at the Dome has meant they’ve been unable to train outside for the the past few weeks.
With Porchester, Southampton and Winchester City Flyers not in action this weekend, the Royals are now up to fifth. More importantly, Reading are now within striking distance of second place.
- Wycombe Wanderers: 28 points from 11 matches
- Winchester City Flyers: 21 points from 9 matches
- Beaconsfield Town: 21 points from 13 matches
- Southampton Women: 20 points from 10 matches
- Reading: 19 points from 10 matches
Other league matches this weekend:
Wycombe Wanderers 4-1 Fleet Town
Next weekend, Sunday February 1 (2pm kick-off), the Royals travel to Oxford City for their first away trip of 2026. See you there!
