READING FC WOMEN’s were all but succumbed to the drop from the top flight after they suffered a costly away defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.
The defeat leaves the Royals rock bottom of the Women’s Super League table and needing a miracle to survive on the final day.
With just one game to go, Reading will need to beat title pushing Chelsea on the last weekend of the season, while Leicester would have to lose both of their remaining matches to see Reading escape the drop.
Spurs secured their safety with a double from Beth England that was added to by Celin Bezit and Kit Graham, despite a consolation goal from Justine Vanhaevermaet.
In a double header event at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that had already seen disappointment for the hosts men’s side who lost 3-1 to Brentofrd earlier in the day, Reading were looking to pile more misery on Spurs.
Kelly Chambers’ team desperately needed a win to drag themselves off the bottom of the table, while Spurs were looking for a point to secure safety.
Reading lined-up with top scorer Sanne Troelsgaard up top, while there was a welcome return for Deanne Rose on the bench, who has been out with an injury for more than ??? months.
Spurs started with star striker Bethany England up top who has transformed the side since joining from Chelsea in the January transfer window despite not being able to drag them away from the relegation scrap.
It was the hosts who started brightly and had a couple of close shaves when Deanna Cooper had to put in a vital intervention to prevent Eveliina Summanen from having a tap in from six yards.
The pressure continued when Rosella Ayane forced a save from Royals stopper Grace Moloney who showed strong hands to clutch hold of the ball.
Reading responded with the best chance of the game when a deep corner found its way to the back post to find Troelsgaard unmarked who was only prevented by a superb Becky Spencer save.
It was Spurs who broke the deadlock a minute shy of the half hour mark when a short corner routine was worked to the back stick to find England unmarked and she punished the Royals by squeezing a header in at Moloney’s near post.
Reading looked for a response and it was Troelsgaard who tried to provide the inspiration as she has done almost single handedly on occasions this season. She tricked her way past former Royal Molly Bartrip who had to cynically bring the Danish international down to prevent her having a run at goal and was booked as a result.
Things went from bad to worse for Reading as Tottenham added a second before the break when a through ball was slid into the path of Bizet to break the Royals back line open and she tucked the ball into the corner to make it 2-0.
Unhappy with her team’s first-half display, Chambers made a double switch going into the second-half as Emma Harries and Jade Moore replaced Troelsgaard and Lauren Wade.
Moore picked up a booking within minutes of coming on after fouling Ashleigh Neville.
Cooper was next to go in the referee’s notebook after flying into a mistimed tackle on Ayane.
With half an hour to play, Rose made her long awaited return when she took the place of Tia Primmer.
Spurs put the game to bed in the 62nd minute when they were presented a gift by Easther Mayi Kith who underhit a back pass to Moloney that was stolen by England who rounded the keeper and converted into an empty net.
A fourth Reading change ensued as Faye Bryson replaced Mayi Kith.
A humiliating afternoon continued as the home team added a fourth with 15 minutes to go as a long clearance was raced onto by Kit Graham who was given time and room to slot past Moloney.
Reading got themselves on the scoresheet to claw back consolation when Justine Vanahevermaet rose highest to head in from a corner.
Reading now go into the final weekend of the season at home to Chelsea with their future almost certainly decided and Championship football beckoning
Tottenham: Spencer, Neville, turner. Bartrip, Harrop, Spence, James, Summanen, Bizet, Ayane, England
Subs: Korpela, Zadorsky, Graham, Iwabuchi, Ale, Karczewska, Nav, Pervical, Cho
Reading: Moloney, Mayi Kith, Cooper, Evans, Mukandi, Eikeland, Vanhaevermaet, Primmer, Wade, Wellings, Troelsgaard
Subs: Bryson, Rose, Harries, Hendrix, Caldwell, Alexander, Moore, Poulter, Perry
Goals: England 29’, 62’, Bizet 41’, Graham 74’, Vanhaevermaet 80’
