Promotion chasing Reading ended the first half of the season in style on Sunday beating Durham 5-0 at New Ferens Park. The visitors capitalised on Durham’s injury-hit squad, scoring 4 times in the last half hour.
The league leaders began the rout after just 4 minutes when Emma Follis raced through the Wildcats’ defence before beating Anna Moorhouse, in the Durham goal.
Moorhouse, making her first start of the season, was brought in to replace regular stopper Helen Alderson. Durham were also without top-scorer Amelia Pereira and Ellie Christon.
The hosts almost forced an immediate equaliser when Jordan Atkinson’s cross was inches from finding teenage striker Courtney Corrie but Royals’ keeper Grace Moloney came out smartly to smother the ball.
Reading continued to dominate proceedings and might have doubled their lead in first half stoppage time when Moorhouse denied Laura-May Walkley with a fantastic reaction save and Follis was unable to convert the rebound.
The Durham keeper was then at fault for Reading’s second, spilling Lois Roche’s free kick into the path of Kirsty McGee. The Royals’ captain cheekily back-heeling into the empty net.
And fortune favoured the visitors again for their third when Becky Jane’s cross from the right rebounded in off the unlucky Jen Jennings for an own goal.
Reading then added to their already impressive goal-difference with two late goals, putting some important distance between themselves and second-placed Doncaster Rovers Belles. Roche smashed the ball past Moorhouse for the fourth, before Follis grabbed her second of the game at the death.
The victory keeps Reading top of WSL2 on goal difference only, with the top two now 6 points clear.
Reading captain Kirsty McGee is delighted her team are the ones to catch. “It was really good, we’re progressing from each game and getting stronger and stronger. It’s great to be going into the break at the top of the league.”
She added: “Keeping that clean sheet is very important and allied to scoring five goals, that win’s good for our goal difference. It leaves us in a really positive position going into the break for the World Cup.
As for Durham, it’s now 5 games without a win and they remain 8th in the table, but forward Jordan Atkinson believes the Wildcats can still improve.
“Our aim at the start of the season obviously wasn’t to be as low as we are in the table, we’re better than this. We need to get our heads together now, work hard and come back as a team.”
