TRICKY TOFFEES PUDDING TOUGH TO SWALLOW
apreston@wokingham.today
READING FC WOMEN slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat in the Women’s Super League as Everton earned three points at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
The Royals are now bottom of the league without a point and are yet to score a goal.
It was a first-half rout from the Toffees who flew out of the traps to take the lead inside two minutes.
Anna Anvegard took advantage of some indecisive Reading defending in the box as Tash Harding failed to deal with a cross and the Everton forward snatched the ball and smashed it into the top corner from inside the six-yard box.
Adding to her goal in the early stages of the match, Anvegard set Everton on their way to find their second of the match as she drove at the backline of the Royals’ defence.
Her cross was then played into the path of Claire Emslie from Izzy Christiansen’s pass and she curled the ball beautifully beyond the reach of Grace Moloney into the top corner to finish a sublime team move.
There were several stoppages in the first 45 as Reading lost both defender Deanna Cooper and captain Harding to injury, they were replaced by Chloe Peplow and Emma Harries.
Things went from bad to worse in a disastrous first-half for Kelly Chambers’ side as Everton found their third of the afternoon deep into stoppage time.
Danielle Turner free-kick let Moloney rooted to her goal line as her shot flew through a gap in the Reading wall to give the Merseysiders a commanding lead at the break.
With a mountain to climb in the second-half, Reading came forward with attacking intent as Faye Bryson had Everton goalkeeper Sandy MacIver scrambling but her shot went inches wide of the far post.
With 15 minutes left to play, Reading were in danger of falling further behind as Christiansen was fouled in the box and the Toffees were awareded a spot kick.
But goalkeeper Moloney prevented her team from conceding a fourth as she sprung down low to her right to get a strong glove to Christiansen’s penalty to keep it out, before her rebound was also blocked.
However, a fourth defeat in a row leaves Reading stranded at the bottom of the WSL behind both Leicester City and Birmingham City on goal difference having conceded 10 in four matches.
Reading goalkeeper Moloney said: “The first half from all eleven of us was simply not good enough. “The two injuries are no excuse, we have a good squad, and the players who came off the bench today are more than good enough to play in this fixture.
“We weren’t good enough in our reactions to first and second balls, and just putting our bodies on the line to stop crosses or shots, it just wasn’t at the level we should be playing.
“Yes it may take a short period of time to adjust when a player goes off suddenly, but I think that’s an easy blame.
“You saw how Justine had to fill in at centre half, I thought she was brilliant.
“She led by example, and I didn’t think she looked unnatural in that position, the same can be said for Chloe who came into her usual position and played the best game she has for us in that second half.
“But I say again, that first half was just not good enough, and we gave ourselves too much to do in the second half.”
““We showed a lot more aggression in winning the ball back, and we didn’t want to embarrass ourselves anymore.
“Our message in the dressing room at half time was we need to stand up and be counted.
“At the end of the day, Kelly and the whole coaching team couldn’t do any more for us as players in preparing us for today’s game, or any of our previous three games for that matter.
“At the minute, we’re not delivering for them, and I feel so sorry as they cannot do any more than what they are doing for us already.
“We need to go away, look at ourselves, because we’re the ones who have to show we are good enough for this league and can perform so much better.”