Reading 0-4 Birmingham City Women: Match Report

Jade Moore, Libby Smith and Lily Agg (x2) were on the scoresheet for the visitors.

Wednesday night’s action at the SCL Stadium saw Reading Women on the wrong end of a 4-0 scoreline to visitors Birmingham City. The visitors scored twice either side of half-time, with goals from ex-Royal Jade Moore, Libby Smith and a brace from Lily Agg.

After nearly a month with no matches, March was always going to be telling, with six games in four weeks. Although managers like to say it, particularly after a defeat such as the Southampton result, it’s good to have another match coming up quickly (to put things right) - this isn’t the time for a run of poor form or a run of injuries. At the moment, Reading appear to be in the middle of both of these.

On the injury front, Charlie Wellings, Tia Primmer and Brooke Hendrix were already ruled out for tonight’s match. In addition, Liam Gilbert had to make three changes from the team that lost to Southampton at the weekend with Caitlin Smith, Josie Longhurst and Easther Mayi Kith all starting in place of Jesse Woolley, Bethan Roberts (both missing from the squad) and Deanna Cooper who, although heavily strapped was, at least, named as a substitute.

Form-wise it’s not ideal either, as the stats evidence. In the four matches played so far this month, Reading have lost three and won one. They’ve scored two goals (one of those in the 1-0 victory away to Charlton Athletic) but conceded 11 (nine of these in the last two matches, including against Birmingham City).

Perhaps even more worrying, if the headline stat isn’t already, is the lack of chances the Royals are creating, with no corners in the last two matches (five across the four matches), a total of four shots on target (literally one per match) and only forcing two saves by the opposition goalkeeper.

Although I’m sure Gilbert will say now is not the time to panic, but to galvanise and stick together, equally, something else has to change. The current formation (3-4-1-2, with effectively seven players in a defensive position) is not working - they’re leaking (a lot of) goals!

The lack of a left-back means Lauren Wade is having to play in more of a wing-back role and this doesn’t seem to suit her or the team either, taking away the attacking threat that she can provide in the form of crosses and goals (like the 96th-minute strike against London City Lionesses!).

And no matter the amount of running by strikers such as Madison Perry, Woolley or Wellings, we just can’t seem to hold onto or get the ball to the forwards to create the chances we need - as the stats evidence - and I haven’t even included the possession stats.

Reading (3-4-1-2): Orman (GK), Stapleton (Cooper,71), Smith, Mayi Kith, Dugdale (Jarvis,71), Wade Captain (Wilson, 86), Houssein, Estcourt, Flannery (Hunt, 86), Perry (Elwood, 66), Longhurst

Unused subs: Burns (GK), Marashi

Yellow cards: Flannery, 33

The match started with an early warning when, after only two minutes, a shot from the Blues’ Claudia Walker swerved past Emily Orman, but fortunately rebounded off the far post.

Managers often talk about errors and, in the 12th minute, Reading were punished when Mayi Kith tried to shield a ball off for a goal-kick, only for Walker to win the ball, which was worked across the penalty area to Jade Moore, who struck her shot clinically into the top corner. 0-1.

It could have been worse for Reading, but for the post again. On 17 minutes Libby Smith ran through into the Royals penalty area, this time from the Reading left, her shot across the goal hitting the upright for the second time of the evening.

On 20 minutes Reading enjoyed a rare attack with some great passing movement from Rachel Dugdale and Perry, who combined well for the latter to shoot, her effort clipping the defender, which took the pace off of it, and it was comfortably saved by Lucy Thomas in the City goal.

On the half-hour mark Birmingham doubled their lead with a simple and effective move. City goalkeeper Thomas found Neve Herron on the right wing, her delivery was met by Smith, her connection looping over the helpless Orman and into the net. 0-2.

With the break approaching, Reading offered a glimmer of second-half hope with the two Royals strikers, Longhurst and Perry, combining, but the cut-back was unable to find a Reading player in the opposition penalty area.

Half-time: 0-2.

There were no changes during the break for either team. It was City who kicked off and quickly had the first attempt on goal, with Moore striking from long range but easily saved by Orman.

Reading were creators of their own downfall once again when, 10 minutes into the second half, a pass back to Orman was quickly closed down and blocked by Lily Agg on the six-yard line, with the striker having the awareness and audacity to back heel the loose ball into the empty net. 0-3.

Both managers made substitutions during the second half, but with the Birmingham manager Darren Carter enjoying the luxury of choice and reward for his changes.

On 77 minutes, Orman made a big save to block and smother a back-post effort from Louise Quinn after striker Agg headed the second play, from a City free-kick, back across the face of the Reading goal.

If the match wasn’t already wrapped up, just two minutes later, City completed the scoring when Agg headed a cross from Herron, on the right, this time past the Reading goalkeeper and into the far corner. 0-4.

Final score: 0-4.

Although this was only Reading’s seventh league defeat of the season (the same as Southampton challenging for the title), too many draws early in the season and not enough victories means the Royals remain in a relegation battle - in 10th place, two points ahead of Lewes and six from bottom-placed Watford (who Reading play on the last match of the season).

With 17 matches played (and five still to go), Reading still have a game in hand over some teams which, importantly, include teams either side of us - Lewes (two points below) and London City Lionesses (who sit just one point above them).

The next match comes quickly again (as managers hope for, right?!), away to mid-table Sheffield United, this Sunday March 24, 2pm kick-off. There unfortunately appears to be no easy matches, with the Blades winning the reverse fixture at the SCL Stadium, back in October, 3-1.

The women’s team will continue to battle for survival and our continued help and support at the SCL Stadium can only help, particularly in these uncertain times. There was a mini social media drive to get more people along to Wednesday’s match, which is great, and there are still two matches to play at the SCL: Blackburn Rovers on Sunday March 31 and against Durham on Sunday April 21 - both midday kick-offs. See you there!