LAUREN BRUTON says Reading can take plenty of positives from their campaign so far despite no wins in WSL 1 ahead of their home clash with Sunderland Ladies on bank holiday Monday.
After such a long wait for a match at their new home at Adams Park, two come along at once with Reading back in action on Monday (2pm) having just lost 2-1 against Arsenal Ladies on Wednesday night.
This will be the third time Reading take on Sunderland in the past month and Bruton feels a first victory of the season could be on the cards.
“We’re really looking forward to Monday and hopefully we can get our first win of the season,” she said.
“Every single game we go into we go for the win or to get something out of the game and we’ll be looking for three points against Sunderland.
“We can definitely take positives from the Arsenal game, especially the last 20 minutes when we pressed them and they looked really nervy.
“We can take a lot of positives from it and hopefully bring that into the Sunderland game.”
Royals have competed well following promotion to the top flight, picking up two away draws, but are still yet to taste victory in their first four matches.
On Wednesday, the Gunners took a first half lead through Jordan Nobbs’ long range strike and doubled the tally on the hour mark thanks to Dominique Janssen’s header.
Emma Follis netted a fine goal to set up a grandstand finish but it proved to be in vain.
“The last 20 minutes we actually did really well,” said vice-captain Bruton.
“It’s a shame that we didn’t start that way.
“It was a tough game.
“We had all the pressure in the last 20 minutes and nicked a goal, we probably could’ve nicked a couple more but at the end of the day it wasn’t meant to be.”
She added: “That was our gameplan, to sit in for a little bit and bring on the pressure to us and frustrate them a little bit.
“We were hoping to go in 0-0 at half-time and unfortunately they scored.
“1-0 at half-time, we were happy with that and we knew we could push them in the second half.
“It was just a shame that we let in that second goal but we finished so well.”
Kelly Chambers’ side hosted Arsenal on Wednesday night for their first home game of the campaign and first league match at Adams Park since moving to Wycombe Wanderers’ ground and they gave the visitors a real scare.
While Royals were unchanged from their 2-2 draw at Notts County, Arsenal rang the changes following back-to-back defeats against Manchester City and Chelsea and they seemed to be working.
Pedro Martinez Losa’s charges made all the early running with Vicky Losada heading straight at Grace Moloney.
But for all their possession, clear cut chances were few and far between so Nobbs tried her luck from 22 yards, arrowing an effort towards the top corner and it found the net despite a touch from the keeper.
Arsenal turned the screw in search of a second goal and had plenty of opportunities either side of the half-time whistle as Danielle Carter, Losada and Janssen were all denied by fine Moloney stops.
Natalia also saw a goal chalked off for offside but the lead was doubled when Janssen rose highest to head in from a corner to give Reading a mountain to climb.
But Chambers’ side responded well, going close when Follis rounded Sari van Veenendaal before the keeper got back to save.
However, the winger was not to be denied a goal as she danced beyond a couple of challenges into the box and fired across goal into the far corner with 12 minutes to play.
While Arsenal inevitably had a couple of chances to seal the game on the break, notably Asisat Oshoala blazing over, Reading could have snatched a point when Bruton headed wide in the final minute.
READING: Moloney; Jane, McGee (c), Bartrip, Provan; Follis, Rowe, Hines (Walkley 71), Bruton, Ward (Stobbs 71); Jones (Fletcher 45).
Subs not used: Earps, H. Scott, Estcourt, Cunningham
Goal: Follis (78)
Yellow card: Walkley (74)
ARSENAL: van Veenendaal; A. Scott (Corredera 77), Henning, Stoney, Williamson; Janssen, Nobbs (Williams 63), Losada; Carter, McCabe, Natalia (Oshoala 81).
Subs not used: Byrne, Rose, Mitchell, van de Donk.
Goals: Nobbs (30), Janssen (60)
Referee: Antony Coggins
Attendance: 604
