Oxford City 10-0 Reading Women: Match Report

The Royals capitulated in the second half of an already-difficult game at Oxford City, having looked promising before the break.

After a close and promising first half, in which Reading found themselves just a goal down at the break, the Royals suffered a second-half collapse when they simply ran out of steam, players and confidence. The match finished in a demoralising 10-0 defeat, after a second-half onslaught from Oxford City.

A hat-trick from Ellie White, two each for substitutes Lucy White and Isobel Bradley, as well as goals from Emma Donohue, Kaitlyn Crouch and Ellie Waleki, made it double figures for the home side.

It was always going to be a tough match for the Royals for various reasons: Oxford City are vying for their highest league finish in four years, attempting to catch Wycombe Wanderers in second place, while trying to fend off AFC Porchester just below them.

Since the turn of the year, Oxford have been in a rich vein of form: losing only to league leaders and champions-elect Ascot United, scoring 35 goals in seven matches before this game against Reading, conceding just seven.

In contrast, Reading were not only missing key players but enough of them overall to field a full squad. Personnel such as Assia Fatri, Maya Raghunandanan, Kayla Raghunandanan, Mollie Dench, Lilly Brooke-Cousins and Amber Lloyd were all unavailable, meaning Reading manager Pedro Bruno could only name one substitute: young goalkeeper Abigail Reid, making only her second appearance on the bench.

With three changes required, Keira Morl, Shardonna’e Kekere-Ekun and a heavily strapped Poppy Airey returned to the starting line-up.

Team: Cherry Preisner (GK and centre-forward second half), Megan Giles, Ellie Herbert, Poppy Airey (Abigail Reid GK, 45), Caitlin Levy, Rachael Poole, Keira Morl, Lucy Bolitho (captain), Mia Bradley, Zuzanna Gajzler, Shardonna’e Kekere-Ekun

Oxford City goalscorers: Emma Donohue, 3, Kaitlyn Crouch, 51, Ellie White, 55,70,81, Isobel Bradley, 63,73, Lucy White, 75, 90+2, Ellie Waleki, 87

Attendance: 328

First half

On the sunniest of days it was the home side that started the brightest. A corner set-piece in the third minute, from Dononhue, flew over the head of the Reading goalkeeper and directly into the top of the goal. 0-1.

The Royals responded quickly. A shot from Gajzler forced a save from Keira Maskell in the Oxford goal, to concede the first corner of the match - where Bradley came close with her strike, from wide on the Royals’ left, which sailed just past the top corner of the City goal.

Just minutes later it was Gajzler again, who’d started the match in the number nine position, robbing the Oxford defender to set up a chance. Her effort went into the side netting.

As the momentum swung back to the home side, Reading ‘keeper Preisner was called into action several times to keep the visitors in the match. She dived to her right to save a long-range strike from Crouch, her left foot blocked an attempt from Ellie White, and she turned away another effort from Crouch for a City corner.

The first half continued to be end-to-end and Reading threatened again when Bradley, in her more dangerous position of left-wing, drifted inside, with her shot just past the far post.

Royals right-back Giles stood strong to get something on the ball and deflect a fierce volley, from Ellie White, which looked like it might otherwise be flying into the top corner.

Next up was Kekere-Ekun, the Reading striker, seeing her strike on goal just wide of the target.

With only minutes of the first half remaining, there was still time for more action. Preisner was out quickly to thwart the City number 10, Ellie White (for now anyway), when she was clean through on goal. Bradley and Kekere-Ekun also combined well but shot just wide of the target again.

Goals have been hard to come by for the Royals this season, scoring a total of 14 in the previous 15 matches, this game was the same. Reading missed that much-needed clinical finish, and confidence booster, when getting into some good positions.

Half-time: 1-0

With defender Airey unable to continue in the second half (after only just returning from injury), Bruno had no choice but to call into action Reid, the only substitute available, and one of two goalkeepers named in the 12. The teenager made her debut for the Royals, playing between the posts.

This meant Reading’s regular number one Preisner changed kit at half-time and volunteered to play as an outfield player, leading the line in the number nine shirt - impressing with a mazy run in the opening 60 seconds of the restart.

Any short-lived hopes of this spirit being continued - or Reid getting off to a great start in goal - were quickly dashed with City scoring two quick goals, just 10 minutes into the second half. Crouch at the back post doubled the lead (2-0) and Ellie White grabbed her first of the afternoon with an effort poked past the new Reading goalkeeper. 3-0.

In a second half to forget, there was one moment of enjoyment for the Reading fans and players to smile about. On 60 minutes, a super pass from Bradley found Gajzler on the right, she passed to Preisner, with the goalkeeper-turned-centre-forward’s long-range looping effort sailing over the stretch of the City shot-stopper, but unfortunately it bounced off the crossbar. So close and it would certainly have been one for the scrapbook.

With British Summer Time having arrived, so did the sunshine, and even with a short drinks break, Reading found themselves flagging, out of options for any changes in personnel, and desperately trying (but failing) to not let the score run away from them.

Bradley added a fourth, and her second, when she cut inside to finish at the near post. 4-0.

Ellie White was at the back post to tap home her second, after a cross from substitute Lucy White. 5-0.

Bradley grabbed her second with a rocket of a shot into the top corner. 6-0.

Lucy White turned from assist to goal scorer, poaching an effort inside the six-yard box for her first of the afternoon. 7-0.

City’s top scorer, Ellie White, completed her hat-trick when stabbing home a cross at the back post to make it eight, with 10 long minutes of normal time remaining. 8-0.

It was an impressive performance from City’s top scorer who burst down the left to cut the ball back for an easy finish for Ellie Waleki. 9-0.

And before the relief of the final whistle, Lucy White still found time to secure her brace to slot home from another Ellie White cross. 10-0.

Full time: 10-0

After a first half that started so well, entertained us and promised so much, it all fell apart in the second. This was one of the few occasions when Reading appeared to lose their usual dogged resilience and effort - even in such times of inevitable defeat.

With only two matches remaining and Reading safely secured in eighth place, the result itself wasn’t important. However, you can’t help but sympathise with these young players, many of whom make themselves available week after week, who have found themselves thrown into a very competitive tier-five league, with very little (or no) preparation far too early in their careers - with some very harsh lessons to learn along the way.

It was a good turn-out, 328 at the MGroup Stadium. It would be great to see Reading fans do something similar - for what has been a tricky first season for the Community Trust side - and show their support against Badshot Lea (who we beat 1-0 just a few weeks ago) for the last home match of the season, at Arbour Park next weekend, Sunday April 6, 2pm kick-off. See you there.