Caversham United Women 1-1 Reading Women (3-5 Pens): Match Report

10/28/2024 06:02 AM

Another shootout win for the Royals, this time in a local fixture against Caversham.

Berks & Bucks FA Women's Senior Cup defending champions Reading progressed to the quarter-finals after another penalty shoot-out victory, this time against Caversham United. The score was 1-1 at the final whistle after Royals winger Zuzanna Gajzler netted the equaliser in the first half.

They were up against a Caversham United team, nicknamed 'The Goats', one tier below Reading, in Division One North of the Southern Region Football League. This match was a nice distraction from the league: both teams currently find themselves bottom of their respective tables, both having lost their first four opening fixtures.

This was Caversham United's second attempt to host this cup tie, after last weekend's deluge of rain caused the match to be postponed. Reading's scheduled league match at home to Wycombe Wanderers is now also to be rearranged.

A lot of credit should be given to the home team, whose effort and organisation made this a great occasion and event for two 'local' teams (Arbour Park excepted), with food vendors providing beer, burgers and speciality coffee - alongside a printed matchday programme.

The hosts were duly rewarded for their efforts, not only by an amazingly warm and sunny autumnal day, but with an impressive crowd of 346 (as someone kindly counted at kick-off).

With Reading's squad size now showing as 28 (two further new additions this week - Sajunae Turner and Rachael Poole - the latter named as a substitute), it was pleasing to see Reading manager Pedro Bruno being able to name five substitutes for only the second time this season.

With some players unavailable, Bruno made five changes from the last match, two weeks ago (another penalty victory against Richmond & Kew in the FA Cup). Assia Fatri made her Royals debut and Lucy Bolitho wore the captain's armband, with Tia Lee, Ellie Herbert, Rosie Robinson and Gajzler all returning to the starting line-up. Sumayah Zayadi was also taking on her former club.

Team: Cherry Preisner (GK), Rosie Robinson (Megan Giles, 45), Tia Lee, Ellie Herbert, Mollie Dench (Rachael Poole, 65), Lilly Brooke-Cousins, Zuzanna Gajzler, Assia Fatri (Lily Simmons, 65), Lucy Bolitho (Captain), Keira Morl, Sumayah Zayadi

Unused substitutes: Jasmine Clarke, Leylah Ali

Reading couldn't have got off to a worse start, finding themselves 1-0 down after just one minute, when Caversham's Freya Jenkins rifled a shot into the top left corner of the goal, giving the Royals keeper, Cherry Preisner no chance at all.

It could have been a whole lot worse for Reading when, just two minutes later, Jenkins nearly doubled the lead. Her free-kick fortunately smashed against the crossbar and was cleared to safety.

The opening 10 minutes saw Reading in a state of shock, with frustrations clearly visible, but they did settle down, regain some composure and start to apply some pressure on the home side's defence.

It was this type of pressure which paid off when Reading striker (and ex-Goats player) Zayadi ran into the United penalty area, causing confusion between the Caversham goalkeeper, Holly Robinson, and her defence, allowing Gajzler to poke the ball into the empty goal for the Royals equaliser. 1-1.

Although Caversham number 19 Jenkins remained the biggest threat, Preisner was equal to any attempts, with a couple of great saves to keep the scoreline all square.

Half-time: 1-1

The second half started much better for Reading, looking more composed, enjoying more control of the play and with much better offensive pressure - with efforts from Bolitho and Gajzler testing Robinson in the United goal.

As the half progressed, both teams battled hard (Lee for Reading and Ashton Downey for United both picking up a yellow card), with not much to choose between the two sides.

As the clock ran down, it was Caversham who came closest to breaking the deadlock with two aerial efforts from Caroline Charlton - heading a cross from Evie Burns just wide of the Reading goal and, with just seconds remaining, heading over the crossbar from a Caversham corner.

Full-time: 1-1 and back to penalties again to decide the result.

Tia Lee (Reading) - scored: 1-0

Katie Dearling (Caversham) - scored: 1-1

Sumayah Zayadi (Reading) - scored: 2-1

Caroline Charlton (Caversham) - scored: 2-2

Zuzanna Gajzler (Reading) - scored: 3-2

Sophie Wicks (Caversham) - saved: 3-2

Lucy Bolitho (Reading) - scored: 4-2

Nicole Smith (Caversham) - scored: 4-3

Megan Giles (Reading) - scored: 5-3

Reading win 5-3 on penalties

The quarter-final draw had already been made before the match and Reading's reward is a trip away to Abingdon United: scheduled for Sunday November 17. The match at home to Sholing is now also to be rescheduled.

Who knows when Reading's next league match will be because, before then, there's two further cup matches to enjoy, starting next weekend (November 3) with the trip to Aylesford Women in the first round proper of the FA Cup (2pm kick-off). That's followed by another local-derby rivalry match the following weekend (November 10), against Tilehurst Panthers (2pm kick-off).

See you there.