READING FC WOMEN’S manager Kelly Chambers is relishing the Royals’ first home game of the season.
The Royals host Tottenham Hotspur in the Conti Cup at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Sunday in what the club hopes will be a record crowd for a women’s game at the stadium.
“We need to make it a bit of a fortress. Let’s try and get as many fans into the stadium as possible,” said Chambers.
“We were hoping for more than 4,000 when we were due to play Liverpool so hopefully this weekend we can see good numbers.
“For the girls, we need to go out there and give the fans something to believe in and cheer for.
“We have a really good group that interacts with fans at games. With the off the pitch stuff we want to build a fanbase, get fans through the door.
“Mitch and the team have been doing a great job, hopefully we will see a great crowd on Sunday and then build from that.
“We want to have a good cup run, that’s important to us.
“Tottenham are the only WSL club we’re competing with (in the group), but there’s no hiding from the other games we have against Coventry and Southampton that going to Championship sides is not easy.”
The Royals have endured a disappointing start in the Women’s Super League, losing both of their opening two matches. However, Chambers was more encouraged by her team’s second half performance at Brighton.
She continued: “We want to build on last week. We have to take control of what we can control. But with the amount of games we have, we don’t get to build momentum.
“We had a spell where we were dominating and just needed a bit more quality higher up. That’s what they brought and we caused Brighton a lot of problems in the second-half. Lauren (Wade) and Charlie (Wellings) are two that have really fitted into the side.
“They came on and made a huge impact, I was just gutted we didn’t get a result.
“There’s no hiding the chances that we had were easy. I don’t need to say that to the players. Those individuals will be beating themselves up and working hard this week to rectify stuff like that.”
