Women's Super League
Reading WomenReading Women3Aston Villa WomenAston Villa Women0

Reading 3-0 Aston Villa: First-half blitz lifts Royals to first win of the season

Three first-half goals gave Reading a much-needed first win of the Women's Super League season after a clinical display against Aston Villa.

Amalie Eikeland opened the scoring on 16 minutes when her shot looped over Villa keeper Hannah Hampton.

Rachel Rowe's rasping drive doubled the Royals' lead three minutes later before Natasha Dowie's superb strike followed on the stroke of half time.

Reading move up to 10th while Villa drop down a place to seventh.

Reading came into the game at the Madejski Stadium rooted to the foot of the table after four successive defeats.

But they got the perfect start when Norway winger Eikeland lifted the ball over Hampton for the home side's first goal of the campaign.

They had a second when Rowe collected Eikeland's pass and blasted the ball past Hampton at her near post.

Villa failed to fashion a chance from several set-piece opportunities and were punished when Dowie struck a brilliant third, rifling her shot high into the net from Deanne Rose's through-ball. It was her first goal since joining from AC Milan in the summer.

The visitors failed to trouble Reading goalkeeper Grace Moloney in the second half, with Alisha Lehmann coming closest for the visitors when her shot clipped the post as Reading comfortably saw out the game.

Prior to kick-off, both sets of players joined arms in solidarity with players in the US who have made sexual misconduct allegations against English coach Paul Riley, which he has denied.

Line-ups

Reading Women

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Moloney
  • 2Bryson
  • 14Cooper
  • 5Evans
  • 11Harding
  • 9Eikeland
  • 27VanhaevermaetBooked at 73mins
  • 19Chaplen
  • 23RoweSubstituted forPeplowat 88'minutes
  • 10Dowie
  • 6RoseSubstituted forHarriesat 67'minutes

Substitutes

  • 4Peplow
  • 12Harries
  • 21Stewart
  • 28Woodham
  • 31Roberts
  • 33Lister

Aston Villa Women

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Hampton
  • 2Mayling
  • 3Sargeant
  • 6Asante
  • 33Pacheco
  • 8ArthurSubstituted forMcLoughlinat 76'minutes
  • 10Petzelberger
  • 7LehmannSubstituted forBlindkilde-Browneat 76'minutes
  • 4Allen
  • 22HaylesSubstituted forDavisonat 58'minutes
  • 11Boye-Hlorkah

Substitutes

  • 5N'Dow
  • 12Hutton
  • 16McLoughlin
  • 19Blindkilde-Browne
  • 20Davison
  • 21Ewers
  • 23Rogers
Referee:
Louise Saunders
Attendance:
578

Match Stats

Home TeamReading WomenAway TeamAston Villa Women
Possession
Home38%
Away62%
Shots
Home8
Away12
Shots on Target
Home3
Away0
Corners
Home3
Away7
Fouls
Home13
Away7

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Reading Women 3, Aston Villa Women 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Reading Women 3, Aston Villa Women 0.

  3. Post update

    Attempt missed. Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah (Aston Villa Women) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Gemma Davison.

  4. Post update

    Attempt missed. Natasha Dowie (Reading Women) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Amalie Eikeland.

  5. Post update

    Attempt missed. Laura Blindkilde (Aston Villa Women) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Mayumi Pacheco with a cross following a corner.

  6. Post update

    Corner, Aston Villa Women. Conceded by Emma Harries.

  7. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah (Aston Villa Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ramona Petzelberger.

  8. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Ramona Petzelberger (Aston Villa Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Laura Blindkilde.

  9. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Gemma Davison (Aston Villa Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah.

  10. Post update

    Attempt missed. Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah (Aston Villa Women) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Ramona Petzelberger with a cross.

  11. Post update

    Gemma Davison (Aston Villa Women) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  12. Post update

    Foul by Amalie Eikeland (Reading Women).

  13. Substitution

    Substitution, Reading Women. Chloe Peplow replaces Rachel Rowe.

  14. Post update

    Foul by Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah (Aston Villa Women).

  15. Post update

    Emma Harries (Reading Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  16. Post update

    Remi Allen (Aston Villa Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  17. Post update

    Foul by Emma Harries (Reading Women).

  18. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Gemma Davison (Aston Villa Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  19. Post update

    Foul by Remi Allen (Aston Villa Women).

  20. Post update

    Emma Harries (Reading Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

As It Stood

TeamPWDLFAGDPts
1Arsenal Women55001921715
2Chelsea Women54011751212
3Tottenham Women540173412
4Man Utd Women5311109110
5Brighton Women530210559
6West Ham Women52218448
7Aston Villa Women521249-57
8Everton Women5203612-66
9Man City Women5113711-44
10Reading Women5104310-73
11B'ham City Women5014212-101
12Leicester City Women5005213-110
View full Women's Super League table