READING FC WOMEN continued their journey in the FA Women’s Cup thanks to penalty heroics from Grace Moloney in a shootout success.
Up against the fellow Women’s Super League strugglers, the Royals held their nerve from the spot after a 2-2 draw in extra time.
The Royals almost grabbed an early lead when Rachel Rowe latched onto Amalie Eikeland’s cross but her shot narrowly avoided sneaking into the bottom corner.
But they did take the lead with their next opening after executing a clinical counter attack.
Charlie Wellings threaded a superb pass into the path of Sanne Troeslgaard who took a touch to compose herself before she slotted the ball past the goalkeeper to continue her excellent scoring form.
The WSL’s bottom side levelled the tie when Sam Tierney was allowed to have a free header from an inswinging free-kick and nodded past Moloney.
Moloney had to be at her best to stop Ava Baker from putting the Foxes in front when she dived low to her right to make a vital stop.
The Royals stopper made another stunning save when she got her body in the way of Missy Goodwin’s powerful header to keep her side on level terms.
The game went into extra-time and it was Leicester who stole the initiative when Hannah Cain was quickest to react to a loose ball in the box and thumped the ball into the roof of the net from six yards.
The Foxes came inches away from taking control of the tie after a goalmouth scramble ensued after a set piece, but they were unable to find the net.
Reading found a response before the break in extra-time. After it appeared that Eikeland was barged over in the box, Royals captain Emma Mukandi wasted no time in appealing for a penalty and stormed into the box before tucking the ball in at the near post.
The match had to be decided by the penalty spot.
Justine Vanhaevermaet and Natasha Dowie scored before Money kept out Ashleigh Plumptre to give Reading a 2-1 lead.
Mukandi found the net for the second time in the tie with a confident penalty,
Leicester scored and Deanna Cooper saw her effort saved to give Leicester hope, but that hope was short lived when Moloney flew to her right to save from Jones to win the match.
Leicester City: Leitzig, Tierney, Bott, Pike, Whelan (c), Howard, Goodwin, Plumptre, Purfield, Mace, Baker
Subs: Jones, Cain, Nevin, Collins, Simon, Lambourne, Levell, Eaton-Collins, Smith, Reavill
Reading: Moloney, Mukandi, Evans, Wellings, Eikeland, Harries, Cooper, Rowe, Vanhaevermaet, Woodham, Troelsgaard
Subs: Dowie, Primmer, Wade, Bryson, Moore, burns, Poulter, Hendrix, Jane
Goals: Troelsgaard 5’, Tierney 26’, Cain 92’ (ET), Mukandi 102’ (ET),
