Reading made their way to the 2nd round of the FA Women’s Cup with a hard fought battle against South East Combination side Stowmarket on Sunday. Both teams were depleted due to a number of injuries and illness, and only 1 substitute was used in the whole 120 minutes, but it was Reading who came out victorious after an excellent Cup performance.
Reading had all the possession in the first 10 minutes and looked certain to go ahead on a number of occasions, but against the run of play fell behind to a breakaway goal by the visitors. 5 minutes later Reading responded with Naomi Best passing the ball onto Serena Hickman 20 yards out. She was forced to turn back from goal but Bev Hall was on hand to support her from midfield. Hickman laid the ball off to Hall, and she put her head down and smashed the ball past the keeper from just outside the 18-yard box.
Reading had numerous good chances to get in the lead but could not find the final pass or shot to get ahead in the first half. The second half saw goals thick and fast: Reading got in the lead after 55 minutes when Hickman got on the score sheet. Best made the goal with an attempt on goal, which the Stowmarket keeper could only parry – Hickman followed up and lobbed the ball over the keeper into the top right hand corner.
Stowmarket’s reply was immediate with a scrappy goal conceded from a corner, but Reading still looked more likely to score again. The Stowmarket goal was peppered with shots from Hickman, Best, Laura Woodley and Hall but no one could bury the final ball into the net and Vikki Smith made 2 goal saving blocks in defence to keep Reading in the game. Reading keeper Nic Snarey also had an excellent match with several blocks and one fingertip tip over the bar. She couldn’t prevent the visitors taking the lead a bit later though, Kerry Wilshire hitting a low drive past the outstretched left arm of the Reading keeper.
The equaliser came 15 minutes from the end of normal time when Reading earned a corner, which Hickman took. The corner ball was cleared but only back as far as Hickman who crossed the ball back in to the back post, where Hall was waiting to run onto and volley into the net from three yards out.
The last 15 minutes was a tense affair with both teams having chances to score. Stowmarket could have nicked the match with 2 minutes to go after they were awarded a penalty but the spot kick was crashed against the cross bar and cleared to earn Reading extra time. Extra time saw yet more chances at both ends, and the scoreline should have been 10 each in such an end to end match. The game remained deadlocked 3-3 at the end of 120 minutes and in true Cup fashion ended with the penalty shoot out.
Reading scored first with Leila Dickinson blasting hers in, with Stowmarket also netting. Hickman converted hers with and then keeper Snarey saved from the Stowmarket captain. Hall scored again for Reading and Stowmarket again missed, going just wide of the upright. 4th up, Holland looked certain to score hers, but the keeper tipped onto the bar to leave the score at 3-1. Stowmarket netted for 3-2, but Vikki Smith stepped up and stroked the ball home to give Reading the win 4-2 on pens.
Reading now face Plymouth in the League this Sunday at IBIS Club, Scours Lane followed by FA Womens Cup 2nd round action away to Newton Abbott on 9th November.
