After conceding two early goals to Laura-May Walkley and Bianca Bragg, it was an encouraging display from the Golden Girls against tough opposition. Stacie Donnelly ensured it was game on when she managed to pull one back before the break.
The slim margins were on display in the second half, with Watford missing a penalty to make it 2-2 before minutes later Emma Follis restored the two goal advantage. That’s how it finished, with Reading advancing to the quarter-finals of the competition after a hard-fought win.
Manager John Salomon made only one change from the last game against Oxford United, with Emily Heaslip coming in for Poppy Jones. Deger Zekai made her second start for the club in net.
The visitors came flying out of the blocks and took the lead in the opening stages. Follis found Rebecca Jane, her cross picked out Walkley who tapped home past Zekai.
Inside the opening then minutes, the advantage was doubled. The first shot from a corner was blocked however it fell kindly to Bragg who made no mistake to get her side’s second.
It would have been very easy for heads to drop but that wasn’t the case. Anneka Nuttall was played through but she was denied by a good save from Grace Moloney in the Reading goal.
The attacking trio of Nuttall, Kim Farrow and Adekite Fatuga-Dada were putting the opposition defence under plenty of pressure but just not quite getting the bounces.
After a sustained period of pressure, it eventually told with Watford getting on the scoresheet. Donnelly took advantage of some hesitant defending, getting there before her marker to prod home and make it 2-1.
Apart from the goals, it had been fairly quiet half for Zekai. She came up big when called into action, stopping Follis’ near post effort. The resulting corner was then headed onto the top of the bar.
Looking to grab an equaliser before half-time, the Lady Hornets were a threat on the counter. Both Donnelly and Fatuga-Dada had shots blocked as the Royals defended resolutely.
Anyone who didn’t take their places for the opening 60 seconds of the second half missed plenty of action.
Nuttall’s pass gave Fatuga-Dada a chance however Moloney was quick off her line to just about get their first. When the ball was played back in, Harriet Scott was adjudged to have handled in the box, giving Watford a glorious opportunity to level it up.
Heaslip stepped up and took responsibility. Looking to pick out the top corner, she got it narrowly wrong and sent it over the bar.
It proved to be a key turning point in the match, as just a few minutes later, Reading extended their lead. Charlie Estcourt threaded it through to Follis, who calmly slotted home for her 13th goal of the season.
She would have had her 14th if not for a brilliant bit of goalkeeping from Zekai. Having found space down the left hand side, she shot across goal but was denied by a superb left handed save.
After a couple of returning players in recent weeks, there was to be more good news, as Dawn Mallett came on in place of Phoebe Read for her first appearance since April 26th.
In the closing stages, the away side were reduced to ten. Lois Roche picking up two yellow cards in a matter of minutes, however it was too late to have any influence on the game.
While Reading held on for victory and a place in the quarters, the nature of the performance from Watford will be a massive confidence boost for the remaining games of the season.
Watford Ladies FC Goal Scorers: Donnelly 26′
Watford LFC: Zekai, Pepper, Robe, M Burgess, Gillard (Tullett HT), Read (Mallett 76), Heaslip, Donnelly, Fatuga-Dada (Wynne 62), Farrow, Nuttall
Subs not used: Green, Gould, Mason, Jones
Reading FC Women Goal Scorers: Walkley 3′, Follis 49′, Bragg 9′
Reading: Grace Moloney, Rebecca Jane, Kirsty Magee (Eloise Wilson 70), Nia Jones, Harriett Scott, Lois Roche, Emma Follis (Melissa Fletcher 83), Charlie Estcourt, Laura May Walkley (Rachel Rowe 58), Nikki Watts, Bianca Bragg
Subs not used: Georgie Giddings, Helen Ward, Chloe Sansom
Bookings: Kirsty Magee, Lois Roche
Red cards: Lois Roche
Attendance: 238
Response from the Watford Ladies Manager:
“It was a really good performance after about 15 minutes, once we got ourselves going and into the game,” said Manager John Salomon. “Unfortunately we gave them a head start during that period.
“Reading are a good side and they move the ball about well. They created some opportunities in the first half but for large periods, particularly the second half and in the latter stages of the first, we felt we were the more likely to go and score. You can see from the performances how much stronger we are now and how much more resilient this team is than 5-8 weeks ago.”
“It’s encouraging and certainly the signs are there for us to go and pick up points during the league run-in to make sure we lift ourselves off the bottom of the table.”
Report courtesy of Watford Ladies FC
