The Royals kicked off pre-season with a defeat in the West Country.
Kelly Chambers’ side fell to a 2-1 defeat at The Robins High Performance Centre as they took on Barclays Women’s Championship outfit Bristol City.
First real chance of the game fell to the hosts, Morgan made a run in behind the Royals backline, but Woodham recovered well to force a corner.
Bristol maintained a spell of pressure, the Reading defence held well, with a long-range strike from Harrison deflected into the arms of Moloney.
The Robins continued to press and ask questions of the Reading defence, an effort from distance by Syme flew just past the upright.
A foul by Meadows-Tosun around 25 yards from goal gave the visitors an opportunity to test Moloney. Morgan took the freekick, Rowe blocked at the near post.
The Royals fashioned a half chance as Rowe collected the ball in midfield, sprayed a ball wide to Eikeland, who couldn’t pick out anyone with a looping cross.
Bruce’s game ended early for the hosts, after she took a blow to the head early in the half, she was replaced by Wild.
Rowe at the centre of the play again as she picked out Eikeland with a delightful trivela through-ball, Eikeland fired across goal, but Bentley caught and held well.
Woodham with a freekick wide on the right swung the ball deep into the box, picked out Eikeland, who nodded down to Wellings, with her effort going just over the bar.
Morgan involved again for the visitors, she whipped a cross in to find Cataldo with some space at the back post. Eikeland just managed to get there in time and unsettle Cataldo as she attacked the ball.
Boddy floated a cross in for the hosts, she picked out Hayles who had a free header 8 yards from goal, but she could only direct the header wide of the post.
The hosts pressure continued just after the half hour mark as Harrison linked up well with Syme who couldn’t find the target with her strike. The Royals defence still resilient to the City pressure.
Cataldo continued to work hard, this time at the other end of the pitch as she put in a vital slide tackle on Eikeland to prevent the Norwegian from getting in behind
Wade opened the scoring on 35 minutes, Wellings received the ball and countered forward at pace. Wellings slid a pass through to Wade who spun, beat the defender and her low strike squeezed under the keeper and in.
Wade again made inroads behind the City defence after a Rowe ball picked her out, substitute Wilde recovering well to clear for a corner. The resulting corner swung into the near post by Woodham, after the ball bounced around it broke to Cooper who, with an acrobatic effort, forced City to clear for another corner.
Rowe again dictated the Royals attack, she picked out Bryson wide on the right, Bryson fired a cross in which left the keeper stranded and struck the face of the bar. The ball fell wide to Eikeland who clipped a cross in finding Vanhaevermaet who won her header and forced Bentley into action.
A ball in from a Rowe freekick, flicked on finds Evans, in space at the back post, who couldn’t quite direct her effort towards goal.
Last action of the first half came to the hosts, Morgan floated a teasing ball into the box. Nobody able to meet it and Moloney gathered well.
HALF TIME: Bristol City WFC 0-1 Reading FC Women
An early chance for the Royals. Wade broke away down the left, fizzed a low cross to Jane at the back post, she couldn’t quite keep-up with the ball and was at full stretch when she poked her effort wide.
A brilliant piece of defensive work from Meadows-Tosun to prevent a Bristol chance. She won her footrace, with Morgan, to a ball in behind, calmly got the ball under control, turned and played down the line to Woodham.
Harrison fired home the equaliser on 56 minutes. The ball was played into Harrison from Morgan and, first time, she wrapped a curling effort past a rooted Moloney.
The Royals came forward on a swift counter just after the hour, Wade picked up possession on halfway, found Bryson who carried forward. She slipped a pass towards Jane who tried to take it past Layzell but just ran out of pitch.
A relatively quiet middle period to the second half, both teams looked to find a groove, with each side making several changes.
Reading mustered a half chance as the game ticked into the final 20, Jane clipped a ball over the top for Wade to chase, despite being surrounded by red, Wade got there first before Bruce recovered to clear for a throw on the far side.
Substitute, Greenslade, involved almost immediately for the hosts after some link-up play on the far side saw the ball fall nicely on the edge of the box. She couldn’t quite get enough behind it to trouble Moloney.
Another City substitute involved as Meadows-Tosun fouled Tiesar in the box, giving the hosts the opportunity to take the lead from the spot. Tiesar converted the penalty, sending Moloney the wrong way as we headed into the last 10 minutes.
The hosts kept coming forward and Tiesar got on the end of a ball into the box and flashed her header across goal, nobody there to poke it home.
A Bryson ball down the line found Wade, who played inside to Eikeland to bring the ball forward for Reading, she played into Rasmussen who struck from distance, which was caught by Bentley.
Reading probed for an equaliser as we headed into added time, Wade picked the ball up and found Eikeland in space at the back post, she struck it true forcing Bentley into a smart stop.
FULL TIME: Bristol City WFC 2-1 Reading FC Women
Bristol City WFC:
Bentley (C) (GK), Bruce (Wilde 19’, Bruce 45’ Mustaki 87’), Aspin (Wilde 65’), Layzell, Mustaki (Hutton 65’), Boddy (J. Bull 45’), Syme (Cataldo 87’), Cataldo (Powell 45’), Hayles (Tiesar 58’), Harrison (Woolley 58’), Morgan (Greenslade 76’)
Unused Subs: Clark (GK)
Scorers: Harrison (56’), Tiesar (79’ pen)
Reading FC Women:
Moloney (GK), Bryson, Meadows-Tosun, Cooper (Baigent 77’), Evans, Woodham (Cox 67’), Vanhaevermaet (Primmer 45’), Rowe (Rasmussen 80’), Eikeland, Wade, Wellings (Jane 45’)
Unused Subs: Annets (GK), Wozniak, Brame
Scorers: Wade (35’)