Reading Women were dealt a defeat on the opening night of the 2021/22 Women’s Super League season as goals from Kirsty Hanson and Ola Battle earned Manchester United Women three points.
Hanson put United in front just before the break but things could have been different had goal line technology been in use.
Brooke Chaplen struck the underside of the crossbar, with replays showing the ball to be a fraction over the line, but the goal wasn’t given.
Just moments later, the hosts found a second goal which was enough to give them the perfect start under new manager Mark Skinner.
There were several new faces in the Reading side as former Bristol defenders Gemma Evans and Faye Bryson slotted into the defence, while Chloe Peplow started in midfield.
Kicking off the new Women’s Super League season in front of the Sky Sports cameras, the Royals started impressively at Leigh Sports Village Stadium.
They controlled possession in the early stages and dictated the tempo of the game as United struggled to find their feet under new boss Skinner.
Brooke Chaplen had the first sight of goal, in the fifth minute, when she span away from her marker after receiving a pass from Rachel Rowe and sent a fierce shot from 20 yards out narrowly over the bar.
Reading had to stay alert at the back to snuff out a dangerous United attack and Deanna Cooper did so when she came across to prevent Ella Toone from breaking through the middle.
Royals debutant Bryson then made a vital interception after the hosts look to catch Reading out on the counter-attack after they cleared from a free-kick.
Amalie Eikeland drove into the box and did well to get a shot away after being tightly marked by Hannah Blundell as the United defender managed to deflect the effort behind for a corner.
Reading won another corner after Mary Earps punched the first away from danger but United stayed organised at the back to tidy up.
Leah Galton then squandered the best chance of the half so far in the 22nd minute.
There was a mix up in communication between Reading goalkeeper Grace Moloney and defender Cooper as the Royals’ shot-stopper could only parry the ball straight to the path of Galton.
But she blazed a shot over the bar with the goal gaping after Bryson did a brilliant job to get across and dive in to narrow the angle.
United could count themselves slightly fortunate to still have 10 players on the pitch when Lucy Staniforth flew into a tackle and caught Royals captain Tash Harding well above her ankle, but she was shown a yellow card.
Staniforth floated a harmless effort high and wide but just two minutes later, the Red Devils took the lead in the 39th minute.
Toone threaded a superb through ball to find Kirsty Hanson’s run as she burst through the middle of the defence and slotted the ball past Moloney into the bottom corner to score the first goal of the new WSL season.
Toone looked to extend United’s lead before the break with a well hit shot from distance but Moloney held on comfortably.
Reading came within a matter of millimetres from finding an equaliser early in the second-half.
United could only clear a Royals cross into Chaplen’s path just inside the box and she hit a ferocious strike that smacked the underside of the bar and somehow stayed out.
Replays showed that her shot was marginally over the line, but without the benefit of goal line technology, the goal was not given.
Just three minutes after that, the home side doubled their advantage as Ona Battle found the top corner as she arrowed a shot past Moloney.
Kelly Chambers made her first change in the 72nd minute as Jeon replaced Harding.
United came close to adding a third in the 80th minute when they stole the ball from Reading deep inside their half, but Martha Thomas skewed her effort just wide.
In their first home game of the season next Sunday, the Royals host Arsenal at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Man United: Earps, Blundell, Thorisdottir, Mannion, Battle, Zelem, Risa, Hanson, Staniforth, Galton, Toone
Subs: Thomas, Ladd, Fuso, Groenen, Smith, Turner, Russo, Jones, Baggaley
Reading: Moloney, Bryson, Evans, Cooper, Woodham, Rowe, Harding, Peplow, Chaplen, Eikeland, Harries
Subs: Rose, Jeon, Stewart, Roberts, Lister, Wild
Goals: Hanson 39′, Battle 54′
