Woodley United Ladies 3-3 Reading Women: Match Report

03/24/2025 05:26 AM

The Royals played out an entertaining (and controversial) high-scoring at the University of Reading Bulmershe Pavilion on Sunday.

Royals striker Maya Raghunandanan scored a late equaliser to secure the Royals' first draw of the season, against Woodley United Ladies on Sunday. In a dramatic second half, the Royals temporarily went down to nine players, with the teams eventually sharing the points in a match which finished 3-3.

Mia Bradley levelled the score at half-time, in reply to a Bonnie Messitt Woodley opener, with a second-half brace from Maya Raghunandanan enough to cancel out the hosts' (more fortunate) goals: Lauren Devlin scoring from a penalty, as well as a mis-punched own-goal from unlucky Reading 'keeper Cherry Preisner.

Reading made two changes to the line-up that started against Wycombe Wanderers, at Adams Park, on Tuesday night. Megan Giles and Caitlin Levy returned in place of Amber Lloyd and Keira Morl, who were both unavailable, and Lilly Brooke-Cousins was missing after her late injury scare at the end of the match.

Team: Cherry Preisner (GK), Megan Giles (Assia Fatri, 64), Ellie Herbert, Mollie Dench, Kayla Raghunandanan, Caitlin Levy (Lucy Bolitho, 64), Rachael Poole, Lucy Bolitho (captain) (Shardonna'e Kekere-Ekun, 45) , Mia Bradley, Zuzanna Gajzler, Maya Raghunandanan

Unused sub: Tiffany Lee

Reading goalscorer(s): Bradley, 30; M Raghunandanan, 48, 90

Woodley United goalscorer(s): Messitt, 15; Devlin (P), 72; Preisner (OG), 82.

Reading yellow card(s): Bolitho, (sin bin) 79; Bruno (manager), 84; Fatri, 87 (sin bin); Poole, 90

Woodley United yellow card(s): None

The Royals were up against a Woodley United team which, regardless of the result, would remain mid-table, in fifth place. They'd won only one of their last five matches - against bottom-placed Selsey - but that run also included heavy defeats to both Wycombe Wanderers and Oxford City.

The reverse fixture, back in September at Arbour Park, would have been memorable to Reading fans for both its ill temper (a Woodley player picked up a sin-bin time-out, as well as there being a red card for a United player and one for a coach on the sidelines) and the cruel 94th-minute winner for the visitors to win the match 3-2.

This game was similarly memorable. Soft refereeing decisions, together with what looked like a harsh penalty decision for the home side, began to frustrate the Reading players and management, as they battled to get themselves back into a contest which they never deserved to be losing. That resulted in captain Bolitho and Fatri both receiving yellow cards and 10-minute sin-bin time-outs, and the Reading manager Pedro Bruno and midfielder Poole also being booked.

First half

If the weather gods had been kind to the Reading half-marathon runners, they had clearly forgotten about the Reading Women's match at the University of Reading Bulmershe Pavilion, in the afternoon. The rain was pretty much timed to start from kick-off, and continue throughout the game.

Right from kick-off, Reading gave Woodley goalkeeper Jo Nowak-Allum some difficult moments. High pressing from both Gajzler and Maya Raghunandanan forced the United backstop into some last-ditch clearances.

Right from the outset if was clear that Maya Raghunandanan was hungry for a goal (or two!) and, just seven minutes in, she unleashed an unstoppable shot over the goalkeeper, but it bounced off the crossbar and was cleared to safety.

Two minutes later it was the turn of the Reading goalkeeper to be called into action when Woodley's Lucy Giles found Chloe Melton in space. The number nine shot across the face of the Reading goal but was saved by Preisner at full stretch, diving to her right.

Moments later the hosts grabbed the opener. Bonnie Messitt was on the end of a cross, from the United left, to tuck the ball into the Reading net. 1-0.

From the outside, as a fan, it's been admirable to witness the resilience and 'bouncebackability' when the Royals concede, and this match was another example. The team in the red away kit was fired up and dominated the remainder of the first half.

Reading looked dangerous from set-pieces. Dench delivered a free-kick which caused chaos in the Woodley goal with Bolitho threatening.

Bradley wasn't to be outdone, and from around 25 yards (it was difficult to see any of the pitch markings), the Reading winger struck her set-piece perfectly: around the wall and into the far corner of the goal. 1-1.

Reading were on the ascendancy and enjoyed some good moments of passing and build-up play. Maya Raghunandanan and Bradley both fired shots just over the Woodley crossbar and Bolitho was unfortunate not to be able to control a cross from Gajzler after Maya Raghunandanan had released the Reading right-winger for another chance.

Half-time: 1-1

Reading made their first substitution at the break, Bruno adding Kekere-Ekun to the attack, in place of the rested Bolitho - the armband passed to Dench in defence.

Reading continued from where they left off, in confident form, with two more early efforts from Bradley and Maya Raghunandanan, the latter saved for a Reading corner.

Just seconds later and Reading were ahead. Maya Raghunandanan finally got her first goal of the afternoon (which was always coming), her long-range effort proving unstoppable - even with a hand from the Woodley goalkeeper - and rocketing into the top of the net. 1-2.

Bradley looked dangerous, firing another shot just wide of the post, so it was a surprise (or relief to Woodley) to see the Royals winger moved to right-back when Giles and Levy were swapped for Fatri and the return of Bolitho.

With 20 minutes remaining, the match exploded into a bizarre set of events which no one could have foreseen: including four yellow cards, two sin-bin punishments, a penalty and a last-gasp (but deserved) equaliser.

It all started when Bolitho was adjudged to have fouled a player from a Woodley corner, much to the surprise of everyone, giving the home side what looked like - at best - a very soft penalty. It was duly dispatched by Devlin to level the scores again. 2-2.

On the scale of play, it was a goal the home side didn't deserve and Reading were keen to get themselves back in front. The Royals' plan became all a bit harder when, first, the referee showed Bolitho a yellow card and sent her to the sidelines for a 10-minute sin-bin punishment for dissent.

With Reading down to 10, Woodley took the lead when a corner was whipped in with Preisner's attempted punched clearance spinning off her wet gloves and into her own net. 3-2.

Things got worse for Reading when they picked up two more yellow cards after a couple of bizarre decisions by the referee. First in the book was manager Bruno, after a Woodley foul throw was allowed to be retaken.

Reading found themselves down to just nine players when Fatri received a yellow card for dissent - joining the Royals' captain on the 'sin bin' sidelines (meaning she would be unable to rejoin the play before the final whistle). Similar to Bruno, Fatri was aggrieved when the referee had blown for a foul by a Woodley player, when the corner kick had been taken, but allowed the home side another attempt and to retake the set-piece.

The home side made the most of the numerical advantage, putting the Royals' defence under some pressure. Preisner made a great one-handed save to push the ball onto the post - with just three minutes remaining.

Bolitho completed her 'time out' and re-entered with just two minutes remaining - and with the Royals fired up to make amends for the injustice they felt they had received.

Reading's equaliser came when the ball was fed to substitute Kekere-Ekun, her cross from the left being tucked away by Maya Raghunandanan for her second of the match (and third goal in the last two games), to the roar of the Reading fans and players alike. 3-3.

Full time: 3-3

At the final whistle it felt like justice had been done. Reading had played well but never dropped their heads or gave up, even when nothing was going right for them.

With only one league match being played on Sunday, this was a valuable draw for the Royals, taking the points tally to a total of 10. It meant that - with three matches still remaining - Reading have secured eighth place in the league and have won their 'mini battle' against Badshot Lea and (bottom of the table side) Selsey, on their own merits.

As has been documented many times this season, it's no mean feat and a reflection of all the hard work, energy and spirit displayed by the players and coaching team throughout the season.

It's also just reward for the Loyal Royals who have stuck with the team, endured the trials and tribulations and, at times, suffered some pretty horrid weather conditions. Tier five football doesn't always provide enough shelter to watch the match in comfort!

Next weekend, Sunday March 30, is going to be a (another) tough one as we venture north for the 2pm kick-off away to third-place Oxford City. See you there!