Team Weston 3-2 Reading [League Cup]
Frank Rodriguez's Reading travelled to the West Country for their league cup quarter final against Team Weston from Weston-Super-Mare this weekend, following a three week break without a game.

The game started well for Reading with no sign of the rest having slowed the team down. Midfielders Tash Caswell, Kayleigh Hines and Jo Chubb took control with some quick play through midfield into both the left and right channels for Lauren May and Rachel Fell to give the Team Weston defence something to think about. This early pressure paid dividends and top striker Laura Woodley soon found herself on the end of one of these midfield passes to strike home the opening goal past a nervous looking Kim Drage in the Team Weston goal.

For the next ten or fifteen minutes Team Weston found themselves defending deep as Reading mounted wave after wave of attack with Woodley, Caswell, May and Fell all coming close to scoring again. Team Weston managed to hang on and as the first half progressed they found one of their occasional forays into the Reading defensive third paid dividends with the award of a free kick 10 yards out from the left side of the 18 yard box.

The resulting chip shot aimed high and into the top right hand of the Reading goal seemed to catch Reading's u17 England goalkeeper Amy Carr uncharacteristically off guard as it floated over her head and in for the equaliser. Reading responded well, which again saw Team Weston defending deep at times, but with good fortune on their side as again strikes from Woodley and Caswell were comfortably held by Weston's keeper Dage, who by now was settling into the game.

As the first half came into its last 10 minutes, Weston again found one of their occasional ventures into the Reading defence rewarded with the goal that put them into the lead. Again, a lobbed shot struck from their left midfield that seemed to float over Carr for almost a carbon copy of the first.

The second half started brightly. Team Weston with the 2-1 lead finding a re-newed vigour to drive at the Reading defence, only to find the defensive line-up of Kelly chambers, Emma Jane Pearmine, Stacy Wiggins and Becky Todd cancelling out any breaks from Weston's pacy front line. Readings second came in the 65th minute when Chambers equalised from a poor clearance in the Weston goal area to slot past Dage.

Weston re-started quickly and as they broke along the right channel, Wiggins found herself engaging with their winger just outside of the 18 yard box and the resulting tackle saw a free kick being awarded to Weston. This was driven into the Reading goalmouth where Carr parried the ball out, but into the path of Weston's incoming striker to cancel out Reading's equaliser within 5 minutes as they went 3-2 up.

As the second half progressed, Reading substitutes Jenny Webb and making her first appearance Tracy Corkett, joined the play as the Reading defence was changed to increase the attacking options. The second half ended with a real sense of frustration for Reading as a flurry of well worked attacking moves were either superbly saved by the Weston keeper or hit just off the mark.

Manager Frank Rodriguez commented after the game, "A seriously disappointing and frustrating game, how can you have so much possession in a game, create so many chances and not win? This is only the second game we have lost this season; with both defeats coming in cup competitions.

"On a pleasing aspect, I was really encouraged by the opportunities we created and continued to create even when we were behind. We can now concentrate on the league and promotion to the Women's premier league, which we are still on track for and is our main objective."

Reading reserves 1-0 Bisley [friendly] - 2nd March
The reserves filled a gap in their fixtures with a home friendly against Bisley Sports Ladies. The game gave some players a chance to gain some match time and keep themselves sharp for the end of season push towards the title.

With Tracy Corkett, Becky Todd, Sophie Measham and Rachel Panting all travelling with the first team squad the Reserves were down to the bare eleven. The game finished 1-0 to Reading but in honesty a victory was never in doubt and possibly a larger margin would have been more appropriate but Reading's poor finishing let them down.

Having said that Bisley were no pushovers and it took some good football from Reading to break them down and playing a 4-5-1 Bisley struggled to mount any serious danger.

Reading started quickly with Lauren Welch getting in an early shot and Laura Derlacki shooting over. Reading had a series of corners and one short corner routine nearly opened the scoring when Lian Ryan found Leila Dickinson at the back but her header lacked conviction and floated over.

The reserves were keeping the ball better and this was possibly the best start they had made to a game. Bisley's centre forward showed some good touches but with support in short supply Measham and Dickinson dealt with all thrown their way. Tracey Beales headed wide from another corner on 42 minutes and good work and combination from Beales and Welch created a glorious chance but Mitchell could not react quickly enough and the defender cleared.

The goal came at the beginning of the third period when clever play on the left from Ryan and Derlacki saw Shelley Strange have efforts blocked on the line but Beales poked it home from close range.

Although Reading were now clearly tiring in what was their hardest working performance this season they still managed to put together some good play and Welch pulled two efforts wide when well placed. Charlotte Poole had to react quickest to a long ball late on to stop Bisley's striker stealing an equaliser but Reading deserved the victory and a clean sheet.

Credit to Bisley who are currently top of their Sussex league for giving us one of our most difficult games this season. We look forward to possibly playing them in pre-season of 08/9.

Havant 2-2 Reading reserves - 17th Feb
The reserves came back after twice going behind to secure a point away at Havant and stay top of the league. Late goals in both halves from Reading meant that the title could be decided when Havant travel to Reading near the end of the season in what promises to be a tight and interesting game.

The reserves got off to the worst possible start after conceding before they had even been given a touch of the ball. Havant kicked off and broke down the right hand side. Their winger skipped past Dickinson and cut inside to fire a low cross--shot in off the far post catching Poole off guard.

Not the way they wanted to start but this woke them up and then began to dominate possession. It was Reading who had the better chances in the first half and after only nine minutes they should have equalised. A diagonal cross field pass found from Allen found Corkett at the back post who met the ball well but her header was straight at the keeper.

Nine minutes later Corkett drove a great ball into the 6 yard box that found Welch but good defending prevented her getting a shot off and the ball fell to Webb who's shot was well saved. On 34 minutes Corkett thought she had given Reading the lead but her tidy finish was given offside after clever play from Beales. There was little between the two sides at this point and it was difficult to predict a winner from what was becoming a slightly scrappy game.

It was in injury time in the first half that Reading found the equaliser to go in to the break level. Good play from Allen and Webb on the left saw Welch drift inside and when found by Webb she calmly finished well from the edge of the box.

With Havant not playing much of a passing game it was important Reading's back line stayed strong and as a team stayed patient when in possession. Again it was Reading who had the better of the second half and it started brightly with some good football that saw Welch fire over the bar.

Tracey Beales was replaced by Laura Gemmell after receiving a knock on 56 minutes, and a defensive error on 60 minutes saw disaster strike. A high ball dropped into the area and with Measham seemingly leaving it for Poole and Poole expecting Measham to clear, Havant's top scorer Cooper got between the two and beat Poole to the ball to head home. Reading responded well, did not panic and were patient with their play.

On 73 minutes Allen appeared to have pulled Reading level but the linesman ruled that her shot had stayed in play after hitting the bar and appearing to have crossed the line after coming off the back of the keeper. Strange replaced Panting with 10 minutes to go but it seemed it wasn't to be the reserves game when on 88 minutes Welch shot over and Corkett fired wide when well placed.

90 minutes saw Strange find Welch out wide, Welch beat the fullback and pulled the ball back to the edge where Derlacki was waiting and she finished well for a dramatic late equaliser. The game finished at 2-2 and what was definitely a fair result as neither side did enough to win the game.

Laura Derlacki was Player of the Match for the second game running after what was an excellent individual battle with Havant's right winger who Derlacki managed to stop and dominated well.