WOMEN LOOK TO CONTINUE MOMENTUM WITH SEAGULLS VISIT

READING FC Women are hoping to continue their unbeaten run when they host Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

The Royals have picked up seven points from their last three Women’s Super League matches to help recover after a difficult start to the campaign.

Kelly Chambers’ side enjoyed back-to-back wins against Aston Villa and Birmingham City before they picked up a late point at the weekend against West Ham United.

Sunday’s draw puts

Reading up to eighth in the table, one place ahead of Manchester City because of their superior goal difference.

Meanwhile, Sunday’s visitors to the Select Car Leasing Stadium have made a flying start to the season.

Under the tutelage of experienced manager Hope Powell, Brighton sit in third position with 15 points from seven games.

The Seagulls started the season with consecutive victories as they beat

West Ham 2-0 before they thumped five past Birmingham away from home without reply.

They then suffered a shock home defeat to Villa and were then beaten by current WSL champions Chelsea 3-1.

They got back to winning ways against Tottenham with a late winner from Victoria Williams.

Powell’s team suffered their second defeat of the season with a 3-0 loss to Arsenal but responded by beating Everton away from home and then scored a stoppage-time winner at the weekend to see off Leicester City.

It has been almost a year since the two sides last met, when the Royals took all three points away from Brighton in December 2020.

The Seasiders last trip to the Select Car Leasing Stadium came in April 2019, where again Reading ran out with maximum points after Rachel Furness’ solitary goal was enough to take the match.

Jess Fishlock netted twice and despite a goal from Brighton’s Inessa Kaagman,

Rachel Rowe wrapped up the points with a third for Reading in stoppage time.

Chambers said: “It is important to keep getting points, scoring goals

, as where we’ve had such a big transition of players, you’ve got to allow time for them to gel and understand the way you want to play.

“I think now the girls have grown week on week, and they’re showing that they are really building as a team, the togetherness they have in the squad.

“It’s nice now to build a little bit of momentum.”