Tilehurst Panthers 2-2 Reading Women (3-5 Pens): Match Report

Second-half goals from Mia Bradley and Lucy Bolitho completed a comeback from 2-0 down, before the Royals once again triumphed on spot-kicks.

Reading progressed to the next round of the League Cup after another penalty shoot-out victory, this time at the Rivermoor Stadium against Tilehurst Panthers.

The score was 2-2 at the final whistle, with the Royals producing a stunning second-half display to come back from a two-goal half-time deficit. Goals from Mia Bradley and Lucy Bolitho took the match to penalties, with another shoot-out save from Cherry Preisner securing the victory.

They were up against a Tilehurst Panthers team eighth in the league - Division One North, of the Southern Region league (a tier below Reading) - with two victories, three defeats and two draws: including last weekend’s 1-1 result against Caversham United (who Reading knocked out of the Berks & Bucks Cup, also on penalties).

Unfortunately there were no designated assistants for the referee, so both teams had to provide representatives to pick up the duties of running the line.

There were three changes for Pedro Bruno’s Royals from last weekend’s defeat at Aylesford. Ellie Herbert and Lily Simmons both started, alongside Sajunae Turner, making her debut.

Team: Cherry Preisner (GK), Megan Giles (Mollie Dench, 38), Lilly Brooke-Cousins, Ellie Herbert, Zuzanna Gajzler, Mia Bradley, Lucy Bolitho, Jordanne Hoesli-Atkins (Captain), Lily Simmons (Assia Fatri, 46), Keira Morl, Sajunae Turner (Sumayah Zayadi, 78)

Unused substitutes: Tia Lee, Rosie Robinson

First half

It was the home side who got off to the perfect start when, after just four minutes, Panthers winger Leah Why found herself with space down the Reading right, cut in and coolly slotted the ball past Cherry Preisner and into the far corner of the Reading goal. 1-0.

The early setback didn’t unsettle the Royals, who immediately pressed forward and quickly won a corner - one of nine Reading corners throughout the match - with Tilehurst failing to register a corner throughout the 90 minutes.

With Reading pressing, they came very close to equalising on two occasions in quick succession, both efforts narrowly close, from Lucy Bolitho.

The first saw the Reading striker’s shot rebound off the angle of the post and crossbar after some great build-up play from Keira Morl and debutant Sajunae Turner. Just minutes later, she thought she had scored again, after getting on the end of a Mia Bradley corner, only to see her effort cleared scrambled away in a goal-line frenzy - with the Reading players’ appeals for the ball crossing the line waved away by the referee.

On the half-hour mark, Tilehurst Panthers made a double substitution (rolling changes are allowed in the League Cup), which turned out to be very effective. Lydia Vetesse grabbed a second for the hosts within five minutes of entering the field of play (including recovering from what looked like a nasty hamstring injury just seconds before). 2-0.

As the half-time whistle blew, the scoreline felt harsh on the Royals, who had enjoyed some great build-up play during the opening 45 minutes but had nothing to show for their hard work.

Half-time: 2-0

Reading manager Bruno made further changes (Mollie Dench had come on towards the end of the first half, with Megan Giles leaving the pitch with a blooded nose) - both tactically and in terms of personnel. Assia Fatri replaced Lily Simmons, with Bruno repositioning Bradley into a more familiar left-wing, attacking role as captain Jordanne Hoesli-Atkins slotted in at centre-back.

Reading’s positional changes, positive attitude and character were all easy to spot (made even easier with the rare appearance of the sun bursting through the clouds) and the team in blue and white were quickly rewarded for their efforts just two minutes into the restart. Mia Bradley half-volleyed a shot over Emily Bell and into the top of the Panthers goal, via a looping Lilly Brooke-Cousins cross from the Reading left. 2-1.

Reading largely dominated the second half and, on the hour mark, were deservedly back on equal measures after Bolitho refused to give up and powered her way through the Tilehurst defence to smash home the equaliser. 2-2.

Even the Tilehurst Panthers’ assistant referee was feeling the pressure, asking the referee if he could ask a Reading fan - who was wearing his blue and white Reading shirt - if he would kindly move from the sidelines to behind the goal, to avoid any offside confusion.

Both teams pushed for the decider and had chances. Zuzanna Gajzler came close when her lobbed effort was cleared by a Tilehurst defender, just in time, with her shot heading towards the empty goal.

For the home team, Why continued to cause trouble for the Reading defence (as she did throughout the match) and Vetesse was unlucky not to get a decent connection on a couple of great crosses from the Panthers winger.

Sumayah Zayadi came on for Turner (who had a great debut, worked hard and added strength and power to the Reading attack) and, in full stretch, was unlucky not to get on the end of a cross from Bradley.

In the 90th minute, Reading thought they had won the match after a Brooke-Cousins cross was deflected into the goal, only to see that the assistant referee had raised his flag for an earlier offside incident. During a wait - similar to a VAR decision process - the referee and assistant discussed this for a few moments before agreeing, cancelling out the celebrations of the Reading players.

Full-time: 2-2

Back to penalties it was (for the third time this season) to decide the result.

Mollie Dench (Reading) - scored: 1-0

Jacqueline Asamoah (Tilehurst Panthers) - scored: 1-1

Lucy Bolitho (Reading) - scored: 2-1

Georgia Hayes (Tilehurst Panthers) - saved: 2-1

Assia Fatri (Reading) - scored: 3-1

Leah Why (Tilehurst Panthers) - scored: 3-2

Jordanne Hoesli-Atkins (Reading) - scored: 4-2

Deanna Cane (Tilehurst Panthers) - scored: 4-3

Zuzanna Gajzler (Reading) - scored: 5-3

Reading win 5-3 on penalties

It was a good all-round performance from the Royals, with some fine individual performances too. Bolitho and Turner showed work-rate and commitment, Bradley and Gajzler provided threat down the flanks, captain Hoesli-Atkins marshalled the team and goalkeeper Preisner was not only the penalty hero - again - but kept the team informed with instructions from the back.

The confidence is clearly growing, with another five-out-of-five, 100% penalty shoot-out record, and the late drama of a disallowed goal not affecting them.

The League Cup is a knock-out tournament and there are some strong teams in the draw, so we will wait to find out who (and where) Reading will play in the next round.

Before then, the Royals are back in action next week with more cup action - this time in the quarter-finals of the Berks & Bucks County Cup - with a tough away fixture to tier four side Abingdon United (Sunday November 17, 2pm kick-off). See you there!