Reading FC women’s unbeaten run against Aston Villa in the Women’s Super League came to an end after a hat-trick from Lionesses star Rachel Daly.
The Royals took the lead for the first time this campaign when Lauren Wade found her first goal for the club.
Villa turned the game around with two goals before the break through Daly who then sealed her treble in the second-half after Reading had been reduced to 10 players after goalkeeper Jackie Burns was sent off.
Following their defeat at home to Manchester City prior to the international break, Kelly Chambers made three changes to her team to try and ignite them to find more attacking threat.
Natsha Dowie, Tia Primmer and Lauren Wade came into the team as the Royals looked to find their second Women’s Super League win of the campaign.
Villa created the first big opening of the match with two minutes on the clock when Rachel Daly pulled the ball back for Kenza Dali who’s strike at goal whistled just wide of the post.
Playing at Villa Park in front of a bumper crowd, Reading stunned the hosts when they struck early.
With just seven minutes gone, Lauren Wade was quickest to react from Natasha Dowie’s knock down after Rachel Rowe’s free-kick delivery and she smashed the ball past Anna Leat on the volley from close range.
Villa looked to respond when Alisha Lehmann showed her pace to race onto a long ball, but Royals defender Gemma Evansstyed focused to track her run, block her shot before Daly smacked a shot wide on the follow up.
Reading were defending resolutely to maintain their lead and goalkeeper Jackie Burns twice came out confidently to punch away the danger after two dangerous free-kicks.
Having begun to apply pressure in the final 20 minutes of the half, the home team were rewarded for their efforts with an equaliser in the 37th minute.
After knocking a cross to the back post, Daly was able to guide the ball into the far corner to continue her excellent scoring form since arriving at Villa in the summer.
Reading had a couple of half chances to try and restore their lead when Dowie and Wade both tried their luck from distance, but both shots were comfortably caught by Leat.
On the brink of half-time, the Villains edged themselves in front. Meeting Rachel Corsie’s corner at the front post, Daly flicked the ball goalwards and the ball found the net via a deflection off Dowie.
Reading came out with intent at the start of the second-half and won a corner 30 seconds after the restart. Lily Woodham put in an inviting delivery but Villa stayed organised to clear.
Villa responded quickly with a corner of their own after Lehmann was played into the right channel and saw her cross put behind by Diane Caldwell.
Daly, looking to complete a hat-trick of headers, was first to get to the ball but headed wide of the target this time
Villa missed a golden chance to make it 3-1 in the 52nd minute when Sarah Mayling dug out a cross into the six yard area to find Kirstyn Hanson who nodded over the top of Burns’ goal..
Chambers made her first two changes of the game just after the hour mark when Faye Bryson and Deanna Cooper replaced Wade and Caldwell.
Reading’s task was made significantly harder when they were reduced to 10 players after goalkeeper Burns was given her marching orders.
After Hanson raced through on goal and put the ball past the keeper, Burns raced out of her box and brought the Villa player down, leaving the referee no choice but to send her off after denying a goal scoring opportunity.
The dismissal forced Chambers into another change as substitute goalkeeper Grace Moloney came on to replace Tia Primmer.
Despite being a player down, Reading still pushed on to try and find a way back into the match. A storming run into the box from Lily Woodham was put to a stop by Danielle Turner’s expertly timed tackle
But the game was put beyond doubt when Villa were awarded a penalty kick after Evans fouled Daly in the box.
Daly stepped up to the spot and sent Moloney the wrong way to stroke the ball calmly into the bottom corner to notch her third goal of the afternoon and her eighth of the WSL season.
The defeat leaves Reading just one place above the bottom of the table in 11th with three points from their opening seven matches.
They are back in action on Thursday evening when they host Liverpool at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Aston Villa: Leat, Mayling, Patten, Turner, Pacheco, Corsie (c), Dali, Blindkilde, Lehmann, Daly, Hanson
Subs: Hampton, Gielnik, McLoughlin, Gregory, Gregory, Goodwin, Mullett
Reading: Burns, Mukandi (c), Evans, Caldwell, Woodham, Vanhaevermaet, Primmer, Wade, Eikeland, Wade, Dowie
Subs: Moloney, Poulter, Bryson, Cooper, Jane, Meadows, Tuson, Troelsgaard
Goals: Wade 7’, Daly 37’, 45+2’, 76’ (pen)
