Salmon makes a point by upstaging Lionesses legend

Fara Williams, England’s record appearance-holder, surrendered centre stage to a potential Lioness of the future as Bristol City earned a morale-boosting draw.

England Under-19 international Ebony Salmon underlined her burgeoning potential by scoring one goal and making another as City fought back from 2-0 and 3-1 down.

Reading, who began the day six points adrift of the top three, scored twice in 90 seconds early in the first half. Remi Allen set the tone for a pulsating afternoon in the 17th minute, beating the City offside trap before finishing calmly from the edge of the penalty area.

Then, Brooke Chaplen impressively rounded visiting goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley to double Reading’s lead.

City gave themselves a lifeline on 38 minutes courtesy of Charlie Wellings’s neat finish. Reading, inspired by the presence of Williams in midfield, restored their two-goal advantage just over a minute after the restart as former City midfielder Angharad James headed in a corner.

City, who are still waiting for their first league victory of the season, again reduced the arrears just two minutes later as Salmon showed a blistering turn of pace before releasing substitute Yana

Blistering form: England Under-19 striker Ebony Salmon inspired City’s fightback

Daniels, who finished unerringly to make it 3-2.

Salmon then had the final word with seven minutes remaining, racing on to Carla Humphrey’s exquisite through-ball before rounding goalkeeper Grace Moloney and slotting home from an acute angle.

Tanya Oxtoby, the City manager, was fulsome in her praise of Salmon. “She is an absolute enigma at times,” she said. “She will pop up here and there and that is the beauty of playing on the counter with someone like Ebony up front.

“She is hard to mark, very quick and does not know what she is going to do half the time so that makes it difficult for defenders” Reading

Bristol City

Referee