Sholing Women 3-0 Reading Women: Match Report
Yesterday at 04:00 AM
Goals from Kat Littleboy, Emily Serridge and Emily Flegg consigned the Royals to defeat in the League Cup.
Reading's League Cup run ended on Sunday at the Oasis Academy after a 3-0 defeat against Southern Region rivals Sholing. A first-half strike from Kat Littleboy and two late goals - from Emily Serridge and Emily Flegg - were enough for the home side to progress to the next round.
The Royals exit the competition in the second round - after beating Tilehurst Panthers back in November in a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory after the match had ended 2-2.
It was Reading's second trip to Sholing, having started their tier-five experience away to the Boat Women on the first day of the season back in September, with a similar 3-0 defeat.
Although the scoreline was the same, that's where the similarities end. Only three players from the opening match of the season were back for their second visit: Mia Bradley, Zuzanna Gajzler and Keira Morl.
There were some senior (and regular) players missing - including Lilly Brooke-Cousins, Sumayah Zayadi, Assia Fatri and Caitlin Levy - and one new surprise face among the squad, with Tiffany Lee making her debut in the starting line-up. Reading manager Pedro Bruno was still only able to name one substitute, with Ellie Herbert back from injury and in contention, starting in reserve.
Team: Cherry Preisner (GK), Megan Giles, Poppy Airey, Tiffany Lee (Ellie Herbert, 66), Mollie Dench, Lucy Bolitho (Captain), Keira Morl, Mia Bradley, Zuzanna Gajzler, Sajunae Turner
Reading subs unused: None
Yellow cards: None
Sholing goalscorers: Kat Littleboy '22, Emily Serridge '85 and Emily Flegg '90+2
Similar to last weekend's match against Selsey, this was another great opportunity to see how much the team has not only changed in personnel, but also developed and evolved more broadly over the last four months.
Sholing currently sit one place above Reading in the league, with an 11-point advantage, but having played three more matches than the Royals.
Although Reading will I'm sure be disappointed with the result, this performance was in complete contrast to the one on the opening day of the season. It was a vast improvement, with very little to choose between the teams this time out.
Up until the final few minutes, when the Royals conceded two late goals (which rather flattered the scoreline), there wasn't much to separate the two teams. Both teams battled hard, in horrendous playing conditions - each sensibly attempting speculative long-range efforts to try and make use of the fierce arctic swirling wind which affected the match throughout.
At half-time (and throughout much of the second half), the only difference between the two teams was the first-half goal from Sholing's Kat Littleboy. Her shot came from a corner (the corner in a short period of sustained pressure on the Reading defence) and was turned into the net by the unlucky Royals defender Airey, stretching to block and clear the danger. 1-0.
If there's an obvious area in desperate need of improvement for the Royals, it lies within the ability to score goals. A hard-working defence, a talented goalkeeper and battling midfield mean Reading can create chances - largely from the skill, trickery and creativity of Bradley and Gajzler - but, at the moment anyway, Reading just don't have that clinical finish to keep themselves in the game or give themselves a head start.
It would be easy to say Turner missed a couple of good opportunities in this game but perhaps unfair too - considering the quality of players such as Bolitho (captain), Morl, Bradley and Gajzler (alongside Fatri and Zayadi, when available) - who, I'm sure, are all capable of scoring many goals this season.
Maybe that's 'just' down to a lack of confidence or belief - which I'm sure can only improve as they develop and gain more experience at this level of football - with such a young (and new) team - with many players only having played a handful of matches this season.
The lack of match-day experience - and the fact that Reading needed to push for an equaliser - may also have contributed towards the two late goals conceded.
And resources look to be a factor too, with Bruno regularly only able to field one or two substitutes, when the opposition can name many more - there were five substitutes for Sholing. With rolling substitutes, the use of these additional players is of vital importance - affecting matches with the ability to add new energy levels and skills, rest players (and possibly to bring them back on later) and change a formation tactically - all of which is currently unavailable to the Royals' management and coaching team.
And with perhaps a perfect example it was two Sholing substitutes who sealed the victory for the home side - late into the match.
With five minutes remaining, Reading 'keeper Preisner must have thought she'd done enough to thwart an attempt by Sholing substitute Serridge, on the edge of the penalty area, only for the striker to convert at the second attempt. 2-0.
And in time added on (90+2) it was another substitute, Emily Flegg, who cut in and rifled a shot into the top corner of the Reading goal. 3-0.
The one other thing that was similar to the opening match of the season (scoreline excepted) was the weather! Back in September it started nice but ended in monsoon wet conditions - but on Sunday, it spared fans and players alike the wait. It was wet, windy and bitterly cold pretty much throughout the 90 minutes.
If revenge and 'third time lucky' is a wish, Reading get their chance to avenge this defeat as early as next weekend - this time in the (perhaps more important) Southern Region Premier League fixture at Arbour Park on Sunday February 2 (2pm kick-off). See you there (and bring some sun!).
