TIA PRIMMER scored the decisive goal to see Reading Women through to the next round in the FA Women’s Cup against Brighton & Hove Albion.
In an enthralling five-goal contest, Reading raced into a two-goal lead before the Seagulls fought back to level the match.
But with less than 10 minutes left, the Royals restored their lead when academy graduate Primmer netted her first goal for the club.
Reading created the first opening of the game when Faye Bryson dug out a cross to find Natasha Dowie in the middle, but her powerful header at the near post was well held by Brighton keeper Megan Walsh.
Dowie linked up effectively with her strike partner Deanne Rose, and the Canadian international forced another stop from Walsh from a tricky angle out wide on the left.
The Royals broke the deadlock in the 34th minute when the Seagulls failed to clear from a free-kick and Vanhaevermaet was first to meet the loose ball and arrow a shot into the bottom corner.
Reading started quickly in the second-half and extended their lead early when Sanne Troelsgaard played an inch perfect through ball to find the run of Rose in behind the Brighton defence and she lifted the ball over the keeper to make it two.
But Brighton were far from dead and buried and fought their way back into the cup tie.
Emma Koivisto beat Rhiannon Stewart with a thumping finish that found the top corner.
The South Coast side were then level in the 76th minute after Kayleigh Green pounced on a mistake from Stewart and tapped the ball into the empty net.
But with just seven minutes of time remaining, Primmer ensured that Reading would book their place in the next round.
A thunderous effort from Rose crashed off the crossbar and Primmer was first to react to the rebound and headed in from close range.
Brighton came agonisingly close to forcing another equaliser when Emma Kullberg struck the crossbar from close range in the dying moments of the game, but the Royals survived to progress.
Reading boss Chambers said: “I was really happy with our first 45 minutes and I think we dominated most of the first-half.
“We probably should have gone into the break with a slightly bigger lead than we did, but getting to half-time we were pleased with how things were going, just needing to make a couple of tweaks.
“Second-half, we started bright and continued the high intensity, but we allowed them to work their way back into the game and then naturally there’s an element of panic.
“When they scored their second, we weren’t there defensively as we have been for much of the last few games. Having said that, I know my girls, I know they will fight right to the end and they showed their resilience once again.
“Towards the end, the game turned very transitional from both sides, but credit to the girls for exploiting that final counterattack which proved decisive in the end.
“Full credit also goes to Tia, for winning the game, following up the chance from Deanne who I thought was also outstanding today creating so many problems.
“So overall, frustrating in moments especially the second half, but we’ve improved on little bits from last week and now have a few areas to work on this week ahead of Everton.
“We’re on a great run, we want to keep that alive, but also keeping our feet rooted to the ground knowing the hard work we have to put in to achieve these results.
“It’s a bizarre game, especially when you compare it to how last week played out, but playing at the level we are now you cannot afford to switch off or make any silly mistakes as the opposition can punish you like Brighton did today.
“The team really wanted to get into the next round, and they showed that when their backs were against the wall.
“So other than the period in the second half where we gave up a lot of possession, I think the girls did brilliantly on the whole, managing that situation, and being clinical at the end.”
Brighton: Walsh, Koivisto, Bowman, Kullberg, Gibbons, Symonds, Simpkins, Bance, Green, Brazil, Whelan
Subs: Kerkdijk, Le Tissier, Connolly, Kaagman, Carter, Williams, Zigiotti Olme, Startup
Reading: Stewart, Bryson, Harding, (c), Evans, Roberts, Troelsgaard, Vanhaevermaet, Harries, Eikeland, Rose, Dowie
Subs: Woodham, Lister, MacDonald, Primmer, Thomann, Joslyn, Poulter
Goals: Vanhaevermaet 34’, Rose 51’, Koivisto 64’, Green 76’, Primmer 83’
