THE ONLY WAY IS UP

DEFEAT LEAVES WOMEN ROCK BOTTOM

READING FC WOMEN are looking to stop the rot in Women’s Super League after a tricky start to the new season.

Reading’s goalkeeper Grace Moloney has called on her teammates to rally together and find their form ahead of what she labelled as a ‘cup final’ against Aston Villa on Sunday at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

The Royals endured a difficult 2020/21 campaign which saw them finish in a disappointing seventh position in the table, and their poor form has carried across at the start of this season.

They have lost all four of their matches so far having been dealt a difficult start up against Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and

Everton.

However, Kelly Chambers’ side are now left adrift at the bottom of the table having yet to score a goal or pick up a point.

The Royals now have two home games in quick succession with Villa’s trip to the SCL in the league before they host Bristol

City in the Women’s Continental Cup.

After defeat to Everton, Chambers said: “They were very clinical to take the chances that fell to them and also punish any mistakes we made.

“Losing two of our most experienced players to injury in the first-half made a difficult task even harder, but I was pleased with how the team reacted.”

Goalie Grace Moloney added: “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 the games, 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.

“So we need to go away, and 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 than what we’ve shown.

“We need to draw a line under this defeat.

“As on Sunday we have Villa and essentially it’s a cup final for us.”