L1: University of Birmingham 2 Reading 2

Reading put a dent in their league campaign last weekend with a 2-2 draw against mid-table University of Birmingham.

Conditions, pitch and goalposts all had their part to play, but Reading only really have themselves to blame for a lackluster performance that saw them drop a vital 2 points on Saturday, increasing the gap between them and run away league leaders Leicester to 5 points.

Reading were largely in control for much of the first half, but they couldn’t turn this possession into anything threatening in the final third until the 14th minute, when Helen Richardson put the blues ahead from a penalty corner, scoring her debut in Reading colours.

But the lead didn’t last long, as Reading made sloppy mistakes all over the pitch and failed to connect passes between the lines. A turnover allowed Birmingham in 6 minutes later and a messy last ditch tackle in the ‘D’ from Emily Maguire was judged be worthy of a Penalty Stroke. Joey Turnbull kept her cool to put the home side level.

Reading were unable to raise their game in the second half and struggled to deal with Birmingham’s quick midfield. Susie Gilbert’s speed and stick-work continued to cause problems and she was at the centre of a breakaway that cut through Reading’s defense, allowing Sophie Bray to finish off a cross on the post to take Birmingham 2-1 up.

Reading were then given the advantage when Birmingham hothead Sarah Page landed her team in trouble, two successive yellow cards meant they played with 10 men until the final whistle. With 20 minutes to go,and facing defeat, Reading finally switched on and series of Penalty Corners finally resulted in an equalizer 3 minutes from time, after a vicious strike from Emma Lee-Smith took a deflection from a Birmingham defender to beat the ‘keeper.

But it was too little too late for Reading who returned home knowing it was a game they should have won.
Despite the disappointment of the last game however, they can be proud of what they have achieved so far in their first season in the Premiership, and will be looking to come back fighting when they take on the formidable Leicester in their first game back in Februrary.