READING FC Women kept their sensational unbeaten run alive after Tia Primmer scored with an 88th minute winner.
An early goal from Anna Anvegard put Everton in front at the break, but they missed their chance to double their lead when Reading goalkeeper Grace Moloney made an excellent penalty save from Izzy Christansen.
With just over 15 minutes left on the clock, the Royals were rewarded for their persistence when Dowie beat Sandy MacIver from distance.
The Royals pushed for a winner after a much improved second-half and snatched the three points through substitute Primmer who bagged her first Women’s Super League goal.
The win puts Reading up to fifth position in the table after 12 matches after an outstanding run of five wins on the bounce.
Everton were looking for a fresh start under the new interim management team of Chris Roberts and Claire Ditchburn in what is remarkably already their third appointment of the 2021/22 campaign.
Meanwhile, Kelly Chambers’ side were seeking to continue their terrific form which has seen them win four WSL games on the bounce.
The Toffees made a bright start in front of their new boss and got off to the perfect start with an opener inside five minutes.
They worked a neat short corner routine which gave Claire Emslie space to hit a shot, and after taking a deflection, Anna Anvegard got her toe to the ball to prod it past Grace Moloney.
Looking to recover from their slow start, the lively Deanne Rose got on the ball to try and spark Reading into life, with her tenacious work down the left wing bringing their first corner of the game.
In blustery conditions on Merseyside with 50mph winds, Lily Woodham hung up a cross to the back post that troubled goalkeeper Sandy MacIver who missed her punch, but Justine Vanhaevermaet couldn’t capitalise on the mistake and headed wide.
Everton were back on the front foot when Toni Duggan was left unmarked at the back post, but she was unable to get the ball under her spell before Moloney parried a shot behind for a corner.
From the resulting set-piece, Everton came inches away from a second after Danielle Turner headed goalwards only to be denied by the perfectly placed Gemma Evans on the line who made a vital clearance.
The high winds caused all kinds of trouble again for MacIver who misjudged Faye Bryson’s cross, but the ball was somehow kept out on the line as Natasha Dowie tried her best to squeeze it in but was blocked by Nathalie Bjorn and Gabrielle George.
The Royals applied pressure with a spell of corners late in the half but Everton held on to maintain their lead going into half-time.
The hosts had a chance to double their lead when the referee pointed to the penalty spot after a handball in the box from Woodham.
Izzy Christiansen stepped up to take responsibility but goalkeeper Moloney flew down low to her left to make a superb stop.
Chambers made her first change just before the hour with Rachel Rowe on to replace Emma Harries.
Reading’s best chance of the match came and went in the 69th minute when Rose dug out a low cross that was first missed by Eikeland before Dowie turned the ball wide on the stretch.
After a promising spell of pressure from the visitors, they were finally rewarded in the 74th minute with an equaliser.
Dowie tried her luck from distance, and despite MacIver getting a strong hand to the ball, the shot was too powerful to keep out.
Last week’s goalscorer Tia Primmer entered the contest for the final 10 minutes in place of Vanhaevermaet.
Just as she did last weekend in the FA Cup, Primmer popped up with the decisive goal in the contest when she poked the ball into the bottom corner after a scramble in the box.
Reading held out to earn another three points to keep their sensational run going in what was a hard fought comeback in tricky conditions.
