EMMA HARRIES made an incredible impact from the bench to help Reading Women recover from two goals down to take a draw against Brighton.
A first-half double from Veatriki Sarri had the Seagulls two ahead at the break in the monumental Women’s Super League.
But an inspired performance off the bench from Harries got the Royals back in the game when she scored a minute after the restart and then powered in a headed equaliser with an hour gone.
The draw keeps Reading in 10th, one place and two points above Brighton who have two games in hand, while the Royals move four points clear of bottom place Leicester City.
Kelly Chambers lined up her Royals side on the back of last week’s defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup looking to make amends in the league to try and secure their top flight status.
Top scorer Sanne Troeslgaard was given the nod to start in midfield while Charlie Wellings was selected to play up top with Amalie Eikeland in support.
Reading came into the crunch match one place and two points ahead of Brighton having played two more matches with both sides looking to tally some points to pull further ahead of bottom of the table Leicester City.
The Royals looked to make an early breakthrough when Troelsgaard won her team an early corner.
The visitors responded when a ball threaded through the Royals back line almost got them in one-on-one, but Faye Bryson shielded the ball cleverly to allow Grace Moloney to gather to snuff out the danger.
But it was Brighton who found the opening goal of the game with just eight minutes on the clock when a cross to the back post was headed into the path of the unmarked Veatriki Sarri who slammed it into the top corner.
Things went from bad to worse for the Royals when the Seagulls double their lead just five minutes after the opener, making the hosts pay for their slack defending.
Sarri continued to pose a threat at every opportunity and latched onto a header from Guro Bergsvand and poked the ball past Moloney to find her second of the game.
In desperate need of a quick response, Reading turned to Troelsgard who looked most likely to make an impact throughout the first-half.
She showed excellent footwork and composure to skip past two challenges to get into the box before her shot rifled into the side netting.
Rachel Rowe had a sighter at goal with a 20-yard free-kick that she blasted just wide of the mark.
Sarri then had the chance to make it an afternoon to remember by sealing a hat-trick when she responded quickly to latch onto a loose back pass and sped past Gemma Evans, but Royals keeper Moloney rushed off her line to make a crucial save.
After some neat work down the right wing in tandem with Jade Moore, Faye Bryson unleashed a strike at goal that forced a strong save from Lydia Williams to tip behind for a corner.
The home team forced plenty of corners in quick succession towards the end of the half with Lily Woodham sending in some testing deliveries for goalkeeper Williams who stood up to the challenge to get her side into the break unscathed.
With a mountain to climb in the second-half, Reading came out with energy and intent.
A goal inside the opening minute of the restart got Chambers’ side off to the ideal start to mount a comeback when substitute Emma Harries snuck in behind the Brighton back line and placed a composed finish into the bottom corner.
The Seagulls had chances to regain their two goal lead when former Royal Danielle Carter found herself in space in front of goal, but could only manage a tame effort that was grasped by Moloney.
There was then a huge let off at the back when captain Emma Mukandi lost the ball in her box and a goalmouth scramble ensued and was eventually smacked away by Moloney.
The end to end action continued and Reading found the leveller on the hour mark.
Woodham showed endeavour down the left to speed past a defender and she whipped a cross into the middle that was met by Harries who diverted her header into the top corner with her superb impact from the bench giving Reading hope.
With both sides going in search of three points, the visitors came inches away from grabbing the lead again through Katie Robinson.
She locked onto a through ball, put the ball past the onrushing Moloney, took a touch to compose herself as the Royals keeper rushed back to defend her goal and smacked her shot against the post.
Brighton had an opportunity to snatch the points with five minutes to go when Libby Bance found herself free in the box but blazed her shot high over the top to miss a golden chance.
Neither side could find a winner as the team’s had to settle for a point each.
Next up for Reading is a trip away to Leicester City next Sunday.
Reading: Moloney, Bryson, Mukandi (c), Evans, Mayi Kith, Woodham, Moore, Rowe, Troelsgaard, Eikeland, Wellings
Subs: Burns, Poulter, Wade, Harries, Hendrix, Caldwell, Vanhaevermaet, Elwood
Brighton: L Williams, Pattinson, Kullberg, Morse, Bergsvand, Zigiotti, Connolly, Robinson, Fox, Sarri, Lee
Subs: Walsh, V Williams, Stott, Visalli, Park, Bance, Ferguson, Carter, Lane
Goals: Sarri 8’, 13’, Harries 46’, 60’
