ROYALS HURT BY LATE EQUALISER
Aston Villa Women 2-2 Reading Women
READING Women were left to rue missed chances as they were punished to see three points turn into one as Aston Villa stole a stoppage-time equaliser.
The Royals put in a superb display last weekend at the Madejski Stadium to hold title-chasers Arsenal to a draw.
Kelly Chambers’ side made a similarly fast start having also scored in the opening moments of the match last week against the Gunners, when Angharad James put Reading ahead after three minutes against Villa.
Readingworked a set-piece routine to find Jess Fishlocm in space 25 yards from goal and Villa keeper LisaWeiss could only palm Fishlock’s fierce strike in front of herwhichwas met by James whowas perfect placed to nod the ball in on the rebound from a fewyards out.
The Villa keeperwas kept on her toes as the Royals pushed for a second goal to put themselves in control of the contest.
Defender Emma Mitchell ventured forward and powered a shot on target from distancewhichwas tipped over the crossbar.
Bethan Roberts then raced forward and had time to take aim at goal, but
Weiss didwell to clutch on to the ball with a couple of Reading forwards ready to pounce on the rebound had it been spilled.
Jameswas next to try her luck as she searched for a second, butWeiss was equal to her effort to get fingertips to push it over the bar after Danielle Carter had held the ball upwell and laid the ball off for theWelsh international to hit.
Just 10 minutes into the second-half, Reading’s lead diminished as Villa debutant Mana Iwabuchi converted to mark her first gamewith a goal.
Natalie Haigh drove in a lowcross from a free-kickwhichwas met by Iwabuchiwho slid to reach the ball first and divert it beyond the reach of Grace Moloney to equalise for the hosts.
But the Royals responded excellently and restored their lead just two minutes after being pegged back by the Villa leveller.
Fishlock unlocked the Villa defence with a brilliant through ball to find Rachel Rowe outwide right in the box, and from an acute angle, Rowe pushed the ball out of her feet and buried the ball accurately into the bottom left-hand corner.
The creative influence of Fishlock continued to cause trouble for the Villa defencewhen sheweighted a perfect through ball for Carter, but she couldn’t finish from the one-on-one chance as Weiss made a vital stop before recovering to save fromAmalie Eikeland on the rebound.
A heavy downfall sawthe pitch dustedwith a coat of snowas Reading looked to press home their advantage and put the game to bed, but theywere unable to do so andwere left to regret several missed chances.
Despite their dominance, Reading were made to pay for their lack of cutting edge as they failed to find a net for the third time after having a total of 24 shots as Villa stunned the Royals with a stoppage-time goal to drawlevel.
Iwabuchi drove down the left-wing and into the box and pulled the ball back for Diana Silvawho got enough contact to send the ball past Moloney and rescue a pointwith just their second shot on target in the match.
Reading stay in sith place in the Women’s Super League table as Villa earned their first home point of the campaign.
ASTON VILLA WOMEN: Weiss, Haywood, N’Dow, Asante, Siems, Haigh, Ewers, Syme, Iwabuchi, Larsen, Follis
SUBS: Rogers, Ale, West, Hutton, McLoughlin, Silva,
Hayles, Hanssen
READING WOMEN: Moloney, Roberts, Cooper, Bartrip, Mitchell, Eikeland, Fishlock, James, Rowe, Harding, Bruton
SUBS: Nayler, Carter, Woodham, Skeels,
Childerhouse, Harries
GOALS: James 3’, Iwabuchi 55’, Rowe 57, Silva 90+1’