READING WOMEN’S long wait for a home win goes on after being outclassed by Chelsea Ladies at Adams Park.
The Royals have won just once since making Wycombe Wanderers’ ground their own, an FA Cup tie against Millwall Lionesses in their very first game at the ground in March 2016, with 10 more games now passing since Kelly Chambers’ side has tasted home victory.
And this was probably the most comprehensive defeat of that run as Chelsea led at half-time through a Karen Carney header before second half strikes from Drew Spence, Ji So Yun and Hannah Blundell sealed a 4-0 victory.
The defeat leaves Reading fourth in the Spring Series table, with three points from their three games so far.
Kelly Chambers named an unchanged side from the one which lost 4-2 at Liverpool on Friday night, again playing with a 3-4-2-1 formation, but there were three notable additions to the bench.
Former Notts County trio Kirsty Linnett, Jade Moore and Jo Potter took their place among the substitutes after arriving earlier this week after Notts went into liquidation.
Reading, still seeking a first league win at Adams Park, started brightly as they looked to take the game to Chelsea, but Ramona Bachmann soon began to show her class for the visitors.
The Switzerland international earned an early corner after bursting past Becky Jane, but Royals just about managed to clear their lines.
But the hosts had the crossbar to thanks on six minutes as Maren Mjelde curled a free-kick over the wall and against the woodwork.
While they were perhaps fortunate to escape on that occasion, there was no luck involved on 15 minutes as Harriet Scott produced a superb sliding challenge to deny Bachmann, just as she was about to slide the ball past Earps.
For all Reading’s endeavour, they were struggling to get Brooke Chaplen or Melissa Fletcher on the ball in advanced areas.
So it came as no real surprise to see the Blues go in front.
After turning the screw midway through the half with Bachmann twice going close, it was England duo Eni Aluko and Carney who combined with the former teasing a cross up for Carney to head home, unmarked on 33 minutes.
It could have been worse by half-time had Carney not chipped a shot straight into the arms of Earps after getting in behind the Reading defence.
Chambers made a switch at the break, handing a debut to Linnett in place of Fletcher up front.
And Royals were nearly given a mountain to climb within minutes of the restart as Anna Green’s underhit backpass was intercepted by Carney, but Earps made a vital stop.
Reading continued to struggle to test Chelsea stopper Carly Telford and fell 2-0 behind 20 minutes into the second half as Bachmann got in down the right, teeing up Spence to tuck in from close range.
Despite both Moore and Potter on for debuts, the tie was killed soon after as South Korean international Ji curled in from the edge of the box just seconds after coming on as a substitute.
Reading did finally test Telford as Lauren Bruton’s deep cross was tipped behind before Remi Allen’s header from the resulting corner was comfortably held.
But Chelsea were not done there, adding a fourth as Blundell got up from the back to score from deep inside the box, while both Millie Bright and Ji were guilty of squandering late chances for a fifth.
Royals almost grabbed a goal back in the dying moments when a close range header came back off the inside of the post before a massive scramble was deemed not to have crossed the line.
Reading are back at Adams Park on Sunday when they host WSL 1 champions Manchester City Women (2pm).
READING (ratings out of 10): Earps 7.5; Scott 6.5 (Potter 66 5.5), McGee (c) 6, Green 5.5; Jane 7, Allen 6.5, Furness 7.5*, Rowe 6; Bruton 6.5, Chaplen 6 (Moore 61 5.5); Fletcher 5 (Linnett 45 5).
Subs not used: Moloney, Estcourt, O’Rourke, Lahmari.
Yellow cards: Allen (19), Scott (24), Furness (90+2)
CHELSEA: Telford; Blundell, Cooper, Bright, England; Mjelde, Spence, Chapman; Carney (Ji 69), Bachmann (Davison 73), Aluko (Dunn 61).
Subs not used: Kitching, Fahey, Cuthbert.
Goals: Carney (33), Spence (65), Ji (70), Blundell (81)
Yellow card: Chapman (90+1)
Referee: Christopher O’Donnell
Attendance: 797
