READING FC WOMEN took their first points on the road this season with a second-half masterclass against Birmingham City.
Having seen the men’s side pick up three points in Birmingham the day before, the women followed suit to complete a double triumph.
Reading’s first chance of the match after they worked a slick short corner routine and caused chaos in the Birmingham box but Vanhaevermaet’s strike was deflected wide.
Birmingham responded with an opportunity from a set-piece as they swung the ball into the Royals’ area, but an optimistic looped effort on the half volley was comfortably caught by Grace Moloney.
Blues’ goalkeeper Emily Ramsey was called into action to palm away a Brooke Chaplen strike from distance.
Birmingham got through on goal in the dying embers of the first-half as Libby Smith raced away from the Royals defence but could only manage a tame effort that forced Moloney into a routine stop to keep the scores level at the break.
Reading raced out of the blocks in the second-half and took the lead inside three minutes of the restart as Natasha Dowie reacted quickest to the loose ball in the box following a corner and prodded in from close range.
With momentum now firmly on their side, Chambers’ team took advantage and doubled their lead in the 54th minute.
Amalie Eikeland spotted Deanne Rose free in the middle and delivered an inch perfect cross that was headed beyond the keeper by Rose
Reading’s dominance continued throughout the half as they looked for another goal to kill off the match as Rose again went close but lifted her shot over the bar.
But it was Rose who got on the scoresheet again with her second of the match with 20 minutes left.
She used her blistering pace to ge in behind the Blues back line, took the ball past the keeper and slotted the ball in from a tight angle to seal the points in a superb second-half display.
Birmingham: Ramsey, Finn, Quinn (c), Sandvej, Scott, Murray, Robertson, Quinn, Smith, Ryan-Doyle, Whelan
Subs: Hourihan, Whipp, Holloway, Lawley, Cowie, Worsey
Reading: Moloney, Harding (c), Bryson, Evans, Cooper, Vanhaevermaet, Eikeland, Woodham, Chaplen, Dowie, Rose
Subs: Stewart, Poulter, Roberts, Peplow, Primmer, Harries, Lister
Goals: Dowie 48’, Rose 54’, 71’
