Reading Women shocked title hopefuls Manchester United Women as the Royals dealt them just their second defeat of the season after second-half goals from Tash Harding and Dan Carter.
A superb two-minute spell saw Reading find the net twice in quick succession as Harding finished from close range before a powerful header from Carter doubled the lead.
Reading held on with a resolute defensive display to frustrate United and prevented them from going to the summit of the Women’s Super League. The win puts Reading up to fifth in the table
United started quickly and looked to get ahead within the first minute when they tested the resolve of the Reading defence and won a corner. But Grace Moloney was alert and punched the set-piece away from danger.
Christen Press breezed past the challenges of Angharad James and Emma Mitchell before she cut inside onto her right boot, but Moloney made a comfortable save from her effort on goal.
The Royals then began to show some attacking intent and came close to opening the score. Mitchell’s cross into the box was headed high into the air and met at the back post by Rachel Rowe and her looping header dropped inches wide of the far post before being cleared.
Rowe got forward again and found Amalie Eikeland unmarked in the middle, but she dragged her first timed shot wide of the mark.
Dianna Cooper then made a heroic block to prevent Leah Galton from getting a shot away as she threw her body in front of the shot.
United’s best moment came in the 18th minute when a swift attack saw Press backheel the ball brilliantly to Ella Toone, she played the ball out wide to Kirsty Hanson before getting a return pass but watched her shot bounce off the post and into the grateful arms of Moloney.
The strong defensive set-up of Kelly Chambers’ side were limiting United to few clear cut chances as Moloney made another simple stop from a close-range Galton header, before she had another chance from distance but her effort drifted high over the bar.
The Royals ended the half with a spell of pressure on the United goal as they won two corners in quick succession before Eikeland overhit a cross from a promising position as the half ended goalless.
Reading started the second-half as they finished the first by putting the pressure on Casey Stoney’s team.
Danielle Carter burst forward and found Rowe in the box, who looked set to shoot but was let down by her stray first touch.
Jess Fishlock then had two sights of goal after Rowe’s work on the right opened up space for her to tee up her teammate, but she sent the ball high over the target.
Her next effort was much closer and had United goalkeeper Mary Earps in trouble as her half volley from 20 yards was just inches from finding the top corner, with the keeper well beaten.
The Red Devils made a change in the 54th minute as they looked to seize control of the contest with a chance to go to the top of the league with a win as Jackie Groenen replaced Ladd.
Moloney made another superb stop to frustrate the hosts as she stuck a leg out to keep out Galton’s volley from just eight yards out.
Her work wasn’t done yet as the Royals keeper got down low to make a fingertip save to prevent Ona Batlle’s low shot from finding the bottom corner.
A brilliant chance came the way of the visitors just after mark as Carter burst forward on the right-wing, before the ball fell to James, whose first shot was blocked before the second forced a stunning save from Earps who turned it behind for a corner.
But Reading made the pressure pay and took the lead in the 63rd minute through captain Tash Harding.
An inswinging corner caused problems amongst a sea of bodies as the ball was flicked on to Harding who was in the perfect position to convert from just two yards out to break the deadlock.
The Royals didn’t relent and pushed for a second goal and they found it just moments after they had taken the lead.
Mitchell whipped a free-kick into the middle which found Carter unmarked and she sent the ball into the roof of the net with a bullet header.
That proved to be her final contribution to the contest as she was replaced by Emma Harries having doubled the lead.
Reading had their fair share of defensive work to do to hold o to their lead and Cooper closed down Toone quickly to make an important block.
The Royals’ collective performance saw them able to keep United out and earn three huge points as they picked up a win on the road to end a spell of just one win in their previous 10 league matches.
Manchester United: Earps, Thorisdottir, A Turner, M Turner, Battle, Zelem, Ladd, Toone, Hanson, Galton, Press
Subs: Harris, Sigsworth, Fuso, Groenen, Ross, Bentley, Jones, Bourne
Reading: Moloney, Mitchell, Cooper, Batrip, Harding, Woodham, Fishlock, James, Rowe, Eikeland, Carter
Subs: Leine, Bruton, Nayler, Flores, Roberts, Childerhouse, Harries
Goals: Harding 63′, Carter 65′
