WINLESS RUN EXTENDS TO EIGHT AFTER HOME LOSS TO HAMMERS
READING FC Women’s winless run continued after they were brushed aside by West Ham United.
The Royals have now gone eight games in the Women’s
Super League, and nine in all competitions, without victory.
Emma Snerle struck for the Hammers 30 seconds into the second-half before Yui Hasegawa showed great composure to seal the win with four minutes left, despite Faye Bryson’s stoppage time consolation goal
Reading are eighth in the table with just two games left to complete the 2021/22 campaign.
Reading came into the match looking to stop their winless run of seven games in the Women’s Super League.
They picked up a point after recovering from 2-0 down in their match against the Hammers earlier in the campaign.
Meanwhile, West Ham were victorious with an extra-time win when the teams met at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in the FA Cup.
Kelly Chambers’ side were left light on the bench, being able to name just five substitutes with forward Emma Harries being the most recent injury blow after picking up a PCL injury on international duty.
Reading looked to start quickly when Rachel Rowe hassled the
West Ham defence who tried to play out from their own box and ultimately forced a corner.
But it was the visitors who set the tempo for the half as they dominated and created plenty of chances.
Their first opportunity came when Kate Longhurst was tripped which led to a free-kick being smacked into the wall from Adriana Leon.
The Hammers found the net in the eighth minute only to be denied by the linesman’s offside flag.
Grace Moloney made an initial excellent stop low to her right to keep out Emma Snerle and when Dagny Brynjarsdottir headed in on the rebound, she was called offside.
The pressure was relentless from West Ham in the opening 15 minutes of the contest as the Royals were let off when Zaneta Wyne met Katerina Svitkova’s cross but could only hit the side netting.
The best opening of the half fell for Leon when she found herself one-on-one with Moloney, but the Royals keeper came to the rescue again by making a superb save to deny West Ham the opener.
Reading had a break from
defending when Rowe’s tenacious work won the ball and Lily Woodham showcased some clever footwork to work some space in the box for a shot that was pushed away at the near post by Mackenzie Arnold.
The half came to a close with Reading surviving another scare when Leon broke into the box with a surging run but saw her effort blocked by Deanna Cooper.
West Ham took a deserved lead just 30 seconds after the restart when they broke forward and found Snerle in the box who unleashed an unstoppable strike into the top left corner to beat Moloney.
Chambers made a positive switch just after an hour when striker Natasha Dowie replaced Sanne Troelsgaard.
Despite an improved spell in the second-half which saw the Royals stop the barrage of attacks West Ham enjoyed in the first-half, they were unable to force a leveller.
Tia Primmer replaced Cooper after the Royals defender picked up an injury with just under 10 minutes to go.
Reading fought to win a couple of corners in the final 10 minutes but West Ham stayed organised to clear.
The Irons consolidated their win in the 87th minute when Hasegawa receieved a cutback, drifted past two defenders and sunk the ball into the net.
Dowie came close to clawing back a goal in stoppage time but headed straight at Arnold.
Reading did get on the scoresheet deep into stoppage time when Bryson’s strike took a deflection to beat Arnold, but there wasn’t enough time for them to find a leveller.
The Royals have two games remaining in the WSL season.
They travel to face Leicester City next Sunday before they host Manchester City.