Reading 3-0 Aston Villa

villa – Hampton, Pacheco, Asante, Sargeant, Mayling, Arthur (McLoughlin 76 minutes), Petzelberger, Allen (C), Boye-Hlorkah, Hayles (Davison 58 minutes), Lehmann (Blindkilde 76 minutes)

A couple of questions could be formed when you step away from such a tough test against Arsenal and playing on such a big and draining pitch such as Villa Park. But you hoped while walking into the Madejeski Stadium that saw Reading not having a great start to the season without a goal to their name that we could bounce back and bring some points back to the midlands. We were missing Emily Gielnik, Natalie Haigh and Freya Gregory with Marisa Ewers returning to the bench. Before the game kicked off a big moment that you can see all over the football fixtures was the teams linking arms in solidarity to show the support to the NWSL. 

It beautifully sunny day beamed down on the pitch but as the teams looked to gain an early advantage with a fairly even opening 10 minutes but it was Reading who took the lead on the 16th minute,  as Rachel Rowe spread the play and Amalie Eikeland was in acres of space as she hit a shot/cross that looped over Hannah Hampton into the goal giving Reading the 1-0 lead. But it went from bad to worse as Reading had their second goal 3 minutes later with the score becoming 2-0.

This time the roles were reversed with Amalie Ekieland picking out Rachel Rowe on the same wing in pretty much the same position as the first goal. But Rowe hit the effort as it went through Hannah Hampton’s hand in the Villa goal as the score become 2-0 as she couldn’t keep it out. We tried to get back into the game and had alot of the ball but couldn’t force Grace Moloney into action at all as it just wasn’t connecting in front of goal. 

The third goal came for Reading before half time when Villa lost the ball on the half way line and Deanne Rose split the defence as Natasha Dowie and a first time effort that was a thunderbolt hit the back of the net. You have to just clap a quality finish like that but 3-0 down with alot to do in the second half without a shot on target in the first 45 minutes.