- SRWFL
- Sunday 7th December
- 13:30 kick off
- 1878 Stadium, Burnham Football Club, Wymers Wood Rd, Burnham SL1 8JG
The plan was to play the Reading game at Adams Park, and possibly play the reverse fixture at the MadStad, but that has not been possible. The Plymouth game on Tuesday didn’t help with that, but we have been promised two more at Adams Park this season. It would have been better to play this game later in the season, during the final run in. Nonetheless I expect a good away following to attend tomorrow, given that they play their home games five miles further down the road at Slough.
So far in the league, they have played five, winning three and losing two, the two defeats were 3-1 at the Flyers two weeks ago, and 2-1 at Beaconsfield in the second game of the season. They did have a good 3-1 win at Southampton Women. In the FA Cup they won 5-0 at Manorcroft United, before losing 2-1 at home to tier 5 Brentford. They only lost 1-0 at Ascot in the B & B and have come through two rounds in the League Cup. They are also in the Combined Counties Cup, like ourselves, bur their opponents Windsor & Eton have scratched.
Last season, 36 players were used and, of the 12 players who made 10 or more appearances, only three remain. They were in a relegation battle for a while but wins against the bottom two later on saw them pull clear. It was, of course, a transitional season after dropping three tiers amid the financial crisis at Reading FC. After relegation from the WSL in 2023, they went part-time in the Championship but were unable to sustain that financial level last term and had to drop down and start with a new team.
The Chairgirls won the two games last season, 6-0 in December at Slough, with Watkins, Puddefoot, Wardlaw, Potter (2) and Livi on the scoresheet. In the return at Adams Park in March, in front of 567, Watkins (3), Puddefoot, Kassem and Potter were on target.
29 players have been used this season and Head Coach, Ed Jackson-Norris, who joined in the summer after three successful years in charge at Maidenhead United, is impatient to get the team promoted, initially saying it was the aim this season but changing that to this or next season in a recent interview. He oversees a coaching and support team of nine and, clearly, Reading are sleeping giants. Now is a good time for the Chairgirls to get promoted because we may well find that the Royals are a real force next season.
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No goals, couple of early chances for W3, keeper miscontrolled to let Melton in but she shot over. Watkins was clean through and also shot over.
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Second injury break, first an extended one for Emma Kern, she looks OK now but Anisha Hill off injured, replaced by Ailish Carolan on 35’. Very even game, just half chances for both sides.
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HT 0-0, Reading took control for the final 10 mins, without having a clear chance. Kayla and Jess are not getting many opportunities to run down the wing.
No goals but opening 15 we have been on top. No chances yet.
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67’ Ellen Wardlaw on for Emma Kern. We’ve got control of midfield again.
75’, Laura Hennessy replaced by Emani Kassem, her first game returning from injury.
Reading have just had the best chance of the match, their nippy no. 14 broke through, rounded Ax but Amelia Mulvaney cleared the shot off the line. 0-0.
FT 0-0, a fair result, a very hard fought point against a good Reading side, better than I thought they would be. They stopped us playing our normal game, we created little in the box. The first game we have failed to score in this season. I’m giving Amelia POTM, she had a good game in midfield, chasing everything, but the goal line clearance capped it all. About 100 here, most from Reading.
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Match report from The Tilehurst End. I think the comment “the second half was one pretty much controlled and dominated by Reading” is inaccurate, we had a good spell on top and it got increasingly end to end in the final stages. Nonetheless Reading were impressive, very effective in disrupting our usual passing out from the back to the wingers. They have certainly given us food for thought as we try to work out who our challengers will be. We play the Reading away fixture on 18 January, moved from 4 January, and that is going to be an even bigger game now.
I hope we get to see some highlights, or at least Amelia Mulvaney’s goal line clearance. I would like to see her starting point because she suddenly appeared from nowhere, a remarkable piece of defending.
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You certainly love your football Steve and we are grateful for your updates and insights, for academy, ladies and first team. Thank you Steve.
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