READING FC WOMEN were dealt defeat in their first home game of the new season against Tottenham Hotspur in the Conti Cup.
Finding themselves 2-0 down after the first-half, the Royals showed fight in the second 45.
Natasha Dowie netted from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time, but there was not enough time left for a comeback as Reading opening their cup campaign with a loss.
Kelly Chambers’ team have now lost all three of their opening games in all competitions heading into the first international break of the season.
The visitors made a quick start and opened the scoring six minutes into the match.
Reading were caught napping at the back when a quickly taken free-kick wasn’t dealt with and Ashleigh Neville burst into the box before curling the ball beyond Jacqueline Burns into the far corner.
The hosts responded positively in search of getting level and came close when Rachel Rowe slid the ball through to Lauren Wade whose shot was impressively saved down low by Becky Spencer after she got fingertips to the low drive.
Amalie Eikeland picked out Dowie in the middle with a cross that the striker met on the vollet, but couldn’t direct it on target as the ball flashed just wide.
Spurs doubled their lead with half an hour gone when Nikola Karczewska was first to meet the loose ball following an initial save from Burns that fell invitingly for the forward to pounce from close range.
Eikeland came inches away from getting Reading back into the cup contest when she struck the crossbar. After a poor pass from Spurs keeper Spencer that went straight to the Norwegian, she took aim at goal only to be denied by the upright.
Early in the second-half Spurs went close on a couple of occasions before Reading had a good spell and caused problems from set pieces. One of which caused chaos in the box from Rowe’s delivery as the away team scrambled the ball clear.
Emma Harries made her return from injury and made a strong impact on her first appearance back in the team, taking the place of Wade with 35 minutes left to play.
Harries immediately caused problems for the Spurs defence with some tricky footwork in the box to set up a chance for Tia Primmer that was blocked.
Charlie Wellings entered the game for the final 15 minutes, taking the place of Faye Bryson, as Reading continued to search for a way back into the match.
A chance almost fell for Dowie, but didn’t fall at the feet of the striker before the ball was snatched away from her grasp.
There was a big delay in play after an unfortunate injury for Spurs player Kyah Simon who had to be stretched off.
That led to 11 minutes added time at the end of the game in which Reading clawed a goal back.
More positive work from Harries in the final third saw her drift past a couple of defenders before she was hacked down and the referee pointed to the penalty spot.
Dowie stepped up from 12 yards out and dispatched the ball into the bottom right corner as she sent the keeper the wrong way.
But there was no time for Reading to mount a comeback as just moments later the final whistle was blown.
Reading are back in action in the Women’s Super League on Sunday, October 16 when they host Arsenal at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
