With the WSL 2 promotion places already wrapped up, the meeting at Widnes between Everton Ladies and Reading Women was merely about finishing as best of the rest for the hosts and the league title for the visitors.
Everton started the brighter of the two teams and had a Paige Williams free kick pushed round the post by Reading goalkeeper Grace Moloney after 10 minutes. However Reading reacted and created several early openings themselves.
The first goal came on 18 minutes after Watts raced onto a ball down the left hand side, cut the ball back from the touch line to Walkley whose first time touch laid the ball off to Rowe who drilled the ball into the bottom left-hand corner off the inside of the post.
Reading were on top for the remainder of the first half but aside from a long range Roche effort tipped round the post neither side created much of an opening despite the openness of the game.
In the second half, there were fewer chances as both teams seemed to lack idea and composure in the final third. Everton pushed for a leveller in the late stages of the game, but Reading secured the points in the 90th minute when Helen Ward finished with a lovely lob over Levell.
The win puts Reading top with a superior goal difference to Doncaster Belles with one game to play. Reading will travel to Aston Villa whilst Doncaster will welcome Millwall to the Keepmoat Stadium.
