READING FC WOMEN are back in action after the international break when they host West Ham United on Sunday.
In the final chapter of the 2021/22 Women’s Super League campaign, the Royals are looking to stop a rot of seven games without a win when they face the Hammers at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Kelly Chambers’ team are one place behind Sunday’s opponents in eighth but level on points after 19 matches each.
West Ham have won six, drawn six and lost seven of their league fixtures and are above Reading with a better goal difference.
Having endured a difficult run of games, Reading have slipped down the table having once had lofty ambitions of making the top four.
Reading last won a game in February which came away from home against Everton after late goals from Natasha Dowie and Tia Primmer turned the game on its head after Anna Anvegard’s early opener.
When the teams met earlier in the campaign in November, the points were shared thanks to a last-gasp leveller from Emma Harries.
The Irons had looked to be in control of the contest after first-half strikes from Lisa Evans and Grace Fisk gave them the advantage.
An own goal from Abbey-Leigh Stringer in the 70th minute gave Reading hope and they grabbed their opportunity when Harries popped up with a goal in stoppage time to give Reading a point on the road.
However, the Hammers were victors in the team’s most recent meeting at the SCL in February in the FA Women’s Cup.
After a goalless 90 minutes, extra-time was needed to separate the teams and it was Dagny Brynjarsdottir’s 105th minute goal that saw West Ham progress.
The Hammers made it all the way to the semi-finals where their cup run was ended by Manchester City at the weekend.
Reading full-back Faye Bryson said: “We have three big games to end the season.
“We’ve spoken about it as a team, and how the final games are just about getting points on the board.
“We want to rediscover the form we had when we went on that amazing run.
“We’ve all talked together, addressed the recent dip at the minute, but we’ve shown over the last month we do still have those performances in us.
“We know we can compete at the top level as we’ve shown it.
“We now prepare hard for the final three games, starting against West Ham, and finish the season as high as we can.”
