Sunday September 5th, 2010
Women's Premier League (National Division)
Reading 1-2 Rovers Ladies

Rovers Ladies lie second in the table after securing their first league win of the season away to Reading.

The damage was done early doors, as Rovers raced into a two-goal lead.

On nine minutes, after a well-worked move, Levi Penny cut in from the left, before playing the ball across the box and Nicole Emmanuel arrived at the back post to slot into the bottom right-hand corner.

Eight minutes later and Rovers were 2-0 up. From a corner, Penny's initial header was blocked and as she volleyed the rebound across goal, Rhiannon Roberts stuck out a leg to divert the ball into the back of the net.

Rovers remained in complete control and ought to have extended their advantage. Just before the break, Katie Anderton forced a fine save from the Reading keeper, who was called upon again in the second half to tip Hannah Forster's top corner-bound 30-yard strike around the post.

The Reading stopper then made an even better save to deny Penny from six yards, after Danielle Sheen had collected Anderton's through ball and cut the ball back from the byline.

At the opposite end, Krystal Parker had barely had a save to make when, with five minutes remaining, Reading were awarded a penalty. The Rovers keeper got a hand to the ball, but couldn't keep Natasha Caswell's effort out.

Manager Adam Lakeland said: "Getting that first win, especially away from home against a newly-promoted team, was always going to be difficult, so we had to dig our heels in and grind out the result.

"Your first three points is always important, especially after we felt we had dropped two against Watford. We had to wait two weeks to bounce back from that in the league and I am pleased to keep the unbeaten run going.

"I think 2-1 slightly flatters Reading and suggests that the game was closer than it actually was. But for their goalkeeper, we could have had three or four more.

"However, we controlled the game throughout, looked solid in defence and pressed when we needed to. At 2-0, I think the players felt that they were good enough to see the game out and not make the same mistakes we did against Watford, which shows great maturity.

"We played some good football, always looked a threat from set-plays and our keeper barely had a save to make.

"Overall, the most important thing was the three points, but we can be very pleased with the performance as well."

Rovers: Parker, Farrell, Twohig, Roberts, Leat, H. Forster, Emmanuel, Turner, Sheen (sub Campbell 85 mins), Anderton, Penny.
Subs not used: Carroll, Langford, Chattell, N. Foster.