ROBUST ROYALS HURT BY LATE WINNER
READING Women suffered late heartbreak as Chloe Kelly struck a late winner to break the Royals' resilient defensive effort with a decisive goal in the 87th minute.
City dominated with possession and chances throughout the match but Royals goalkeeper Grace Moloney determinedly kept her side in the match with several superb stops.
But the deadlock was eventually beaten in the 87th minute when Lauren Hemp went on a superb run and put the ball across the box to find Chloe Kelly who finished from close range to extend City's winning run in the WSL to 11 matches.
Reading went close to snatching a goal against the run of play in the first-half through Amalie Eikeland, while Georgia Stanway missed the target from a few yards out and Lauren Hemp struck the post for the hosts.
Reading stay in seventh position in the Women's Super League while City keep the pressure on tabletoppers Chelsea with just two points separating them.
“I’m gutted we didn’t get something from the game if I’m completely honest,” said Reading Women manager Kelly Chambers.
“I said to the girls all week that we needed a strong, resilient defensive performance and the girls gave me that. They were magnificent.
“We changed shape fifteen minutes into the first-half and they adapted that really effectively which threw Man City.
“We defended our box very well. There were moments when we were on the back foot, but in terms of getting to first and second balls, we did our job.
“In the second half we were outstanding at the back as well. We had moments in front of goal, a couple of clear cut chances that maybe we should have put to bed.
“But the sucker-punch was Lauren Hemp going on that amazing run and we didn’t defend that one moment which ultimately cost us the game.
“I feel that this season we’ve shown that we can perform against the likes of City. In fact, I think Saturday was the first time we’ve lost at the Academy Stadium in the last four seasons.
“I’m glad the girls came off the pitch disappointed because I truly believe, as they do, that they deserved something from the game. I can’t give enough credit to them.”
The Royals were hoping that Manchester would be a happy hunting ground after they pulled off a sensational away win against Manchester United in February.
However, City came into the game in scintillating form in the league despite losing their Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie 3-0 away at Barcelona in midweek.
Grace Moloney was kept busy throughout the first-half in the Reading goal.
She was first called into action in the sixth minute when Demi Stokes beat three defenders in the box to get own the touchline and pull the ball back for Lucy Bronze and she laid the ball off for Rose Lavelle who struck a powerful shot but Moloney tipped the ball over the bar.
Reading struggled to keep hold of the ball for any extended period and were almost caught out when Molly Bartrip surrendered possession and Moloney left her goal unguarded when she rushed off her line and missed a tackle, but Caroline Weir looped her effort over the top.
City continued to test the Reading defence when Chloe Kelly slipped the ball into the box to find the run of Bronze, but Moloney made a crucial intervention to get a touch on the ball to put it behind as the City full-back attempted to take the ball around the keeper.
Kelly gave Royals full-back Lily Woodham a tough test on the wing, and had another good chance to score but Moloney got down low to her left to get fingertips to her shot.
Reading finally got out of their half to flourish forward in attack and created the best chance of the match so far when Jess Fishlock slipped a superb ball through to find Amalie Eikeland through on goal but City keeper Ellie Roebuck
stuck her leg out to prevent the ball from nestling into the bottom corner.
But the game reverted to what could be perceived as an attack versus defence exercise as the Royals were pinned back in their half with plenty of defensive work to do.
The hosts had their best chance of the half in the 34th minute when Kelly drilled a ball to the back pose to find Georgia Stanway just four yards out but she somehow dragged her shot wide of the post to miss a golden chance to break the deadlock.
City were relentless in their pressure and struck the post in the 40th minute when Kelly found Lauren Hemp at the back post but her shot bounced off the upright as the Royals survived another scare.
The Royals had a rare attack late in the half when Eikeland spun away from Bronze on the left-wing and drew a foul on the left-wing. Rachel Rowe whipped in an inviting delivery as Tash Harding jumped to try and meet the set-piece but City managed to clear as the half ended goalless.
Kristine Leine won Reading a corner in the early stages of the second-half but were almost caught out on the break as City got forward but Woodham committed a cynical foul to bring down Kelly and was shown a yellow card.
Moloney was tested again when Stanway unleashed a powerful shot but straight at the Royals keeper who did well to hold onto the ball.
The Royals looked to have more attacking intent in the second-half as Fara Williams found a pass to Fishlock to sprint into the box, but Bronze defended strongly to clear the danger.
Moloney again prevented City from taking the lead as she palmed away Lavelle's shot and Woodham reacted quickly to reach the rebound ahead of Kelly and put the ball behind for a corner.
Kelly Chambers opted to make her first switch with 20 minutes left as Danielle Carter replaced Williams.
City continued to press to try and find a goal and won a succession of corners but the Royals stayed organised to frustrate the home side.
Another chance went begging for City when Kelly cut the ball back for Weir but she lifted her shot over the target inside the box.
But there was late heartbreak for Reading as they City finally found a way past the Royals in the
87th minute.
Hemp went on a mazy run as she burst through three defenders and put the ball across the box to find Kelly who tapped the ball in from close range.
Reading host West Ham United in their next WSL on Saturday.