A LATE Katie Zelem strike dealt Reading Women heartbreak as they lost out 1-0 to Liverpool Ladies in a tight game at Adams Park.
To make matters worse, Royals’ midfielder Lauren Bruton missed a second half penalty.
Laura Coombs struck the crossbar for Liverpool in one of the only chances of note for either side in a scrappy first half but the game livened up after the break.
And Reading were handed a huge opening to go ahead when Rachel Rowe was tripped by Siobhan Chamberlain in the box allowing Bruton to step up, but her penalty was saved.
Satara Murray also turned a Melissa Fletcher cross onto her own post before the visitors snatched the win with three minutes to play when Zelem’s effort from out wide found the top corner.
INTERVIEW: Harriet Scott backs Bruton to “bounce back” from penalty miss
Kelly Chambers named an identical XI to the one which lost 2-0 at Manchester City on Sunday with two changes to the bench seeing Kayleigh Hines and Sophie Perry replace Lois Roche and Amber Stobbs.
In truth, both sides struggled to create chances throughout the entire first half as the contest became locked in a midfield battle.
Remi Allen’s slide agonisingly evaded a low cross allowing Siobhan Chamberlain to parry behind while at the end Natasha Harding scuffed a shot wide.
The game began to burst into life towards the end of the half as the visitors began to get on top.
Mandy van den Berg fired wide across goal before the closest either side came when Laura Coombs wound up an effort from 30 yards which strike the crossbar before going over.
Royals started the second half brightly but wasted a golden opportunity when a low cross was sent towards both Jade Boho Sayo and Bruton unmarked but the pair collided and the chance was gone.
Aside from a goalmouth scramble which Earps dealt well with, the closing stages were belonging to Reading and they were handed the big moment they had been waiting for on 72 minutes.
Emma Follis’ low cross was blocked but goalkeeper Chamberlain tripped Rowe as she nipped the ball away from her at the last moment.
Up stepped Bruton to try and give Reading the advantage but her low penalty was tipped behind by the keeper.
This did not deter the hosts however, who stepped up their search for the winner and they
got even closer when substitute Melissa Fletcher’s cross was diverted onto her own post by Murray.
Bruton dragged another effort wide as the clock ticked down after Fletcher rounded Chamberlain before Liverpool so nearly applied the sucker punch at the other end.
A cross from the right found Caroline Weir unmarked and her header was spilled by Earps to give Reading fans a real hearts-in-mouths moment but crucially held at the second attempt.
But there was to be late devastation for the majority of the 504 inside Adams Park as Liverpool snatched the win when Zelem arrowed an effort over Earps and into the top corner.
It was rough justice for Reading, who slip second bottom of the WSL 1 table with just four games to play, including two against bottom side Doncaster Belles.
READING: Earps 7; Jane 8, McGee (c) 7 (Jones 90+1 n/a), Davies 8.5*, Scott 8; Bartrip 7 (Hines 89 n/a), Allen 7; Rowe 7, Bruton 7.5, Follis 7.5; Boho Sayo 6.5 (Fletcher 62 7).
Subs not used: Sansom, Perry, Walkley, Ward.
LIVERPOOL: Chamberlain; Murray, Bonner, Ingle, van den Berg; Coombs, Longhurst; Lundh (van de Sanden 62), White (Zelem 74), Harding; Weir.
Subs not used: Gibbons, Harris, Hodson.
Goal: Zelem (87)
Yellow card: Harding (58)
Attendance: 504
