READING FC WOMEN’s survival hopes were dealt a blow after they lost to fellow relegation rivals Liverpool.
The defeat leaves the Royals second bottom of the Women’s Super League on seven points, four points above bottom placed Leicester City who have two games in hand to play.
Things could have been different for the Royals had they taken the lead, and they went agonisingly close to doing so in the first-half.
Emma Mukandi shifted onto her left foot to put in an inswinging cross that Emma Harries stooped to meet and watched on as her header bounced off the top of the crossbar.
Reading looked confident throughout the first-half and tried to punish Liverpool when Rachel Rowe played a through ball to Sanne Troelsgaard, who seeked to continue her fine scoring form when she took aim from 30 yards with an effort that whistled just over the target.
The second-half was a different story and the Reds nudged themselves in front when Missy Bo Kearns got the better of Deanna Cooper in the six yard area and poked the ball into the corner past Jackie Burns to break the deadlock in the 62nd minute.
Liverpool quickly added to their advantage to deal a double blow to the Royals when a long throw was flicked onto the back post and Ceri Holland was left unmarked at the back post to convert from close range.
The damaging defeat means that Reading drop down a place after being overtaken by Brighton & Hove Albion who picked up a point against Aston Villa.
Meanwhile, Liverpool moved four points ahead of the Royals with two games still in hand.
Reading are back in action on Sunday, February 26 in the FA Women’s Cup with a fifth round away tie at Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool: Laws, Koivisto, Bonner, Matthews, Campbell, Hinds, Kearns, Lawley, Nagano, Holland, Stengel
Subs: Robe, Roberts, Lundgaard, Humphrey, Daniels, Cumings, Kirby, Silcock, Taylor
Reading: Burns, Mukandi (c), Cooper, Evans, Woodham, Vanhaevermaet, Moore, Eikeland, Troelsgaard, Rowe, Harries
Subs: Moloney, Bryson, Wade, Hendrix, Jane, Alexander, Poulter, Primmer
Goals: Kearns 62’, Holland 65’
