READING FC WOMEN’s top flight future is on the line when they face Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday in the penultimate weekend of the Women’s Super League season.
The Royals are currently bottom of the Women’s Super League with just two games remaining to try and save themselves from relegation.
With title chasing Chelsea to play on the final day, Reading’s best hope of picking up a win to drag them off the bottom is likely to come this weekend.
Spurs need just one point from the game to secure their future in what has been a disappointing season for the club who finished in fifth last campaign.
The teams will be playing in front of a bumper crowd at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in a double header fixture that sees their men’s team host Brentford in the Premier League (12.30pm kick-off) before the women’s match at 4.15pm.
Spurs have won just four of their 20 WSL fixtures which puts them on 14 points, just three ahead of Reading who have won one game fewer.
Kelly Chambers’ side have not won in the league since March and have the second worst goal difference in the division on -28 having conceded more than every team other than ninth placed Brighton.
Reading do have the head-to-head record on their side going into the game having beaten Spurs in their last two meetings.
The last time the teams met was in the FA Cup fifth round which saw Reading progress as 5-4 winners in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw.
Reading also took the points when the teams battled at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in December.
The only goal of the game came in the 12th minute when Spurs defender Amy Turner scored an own goal which gave Reading the points.
Vicky Jepson, who took over from previous manager Rehanne Skinner who was dismissed after nine successive WSL defeats, has seen her side collect just two points from their last five games.
Having been on the end of a crushing 5-1 defeat to Arsenal in the north London derby, Spurs took a point in a 2-2 draw with Brighton and a 3-3 stalemate with Villa in between losses to Everton and Manchester United.
Despite being involved in a relegation brawl, Tottenham have the advantage of having one of the most potent forwards in the division.
Bethany England, who departed Chelsea in January to get more playing time ahead of a potential World Cup call-up, has impressed since moving across London.
She has netted 10 goals and picked up four assists in just 18 games this campaign which puts her joint third in the list of top scorers.
