Grace Moloney put on an inspired goalkeeping performance as Reading recovered from multiple injuries to grind out a win.
It was a scrappy first half in a tie which former Reading and now West Ham full-back Mayumi Pacheco described as having ‘a derby feel’ to it. West Ham threatened early on but could not put their shots on target to challenge Grace Moloney.
Reading suffered a big blow early on as midfield star Fara Williams was forced off with an injury and replaced by Brooke Chaplin. In a game where the majority of possession was had in the middle of the park, it was a concerning sight for Royals fans.
Despite this, Reading would be the first to break the deadlock as Natasha Harding put in a low cross which was met by Lauren Bruton who slotted it past Mackenzie Arnold in the West Ham net to give Reading a 1-0 lead with twenty-six minutes gone.
The goal would be Bruton’s second in successive games after she netted in the Berkshire outfit’s last league win against Aston Villa.
Reading would threaten to double their lead as the halftime break loomed, with the midfield trio of Chaplin, Angharad Jones and Jess Fishlock being patient on the ball and creating a litany of chances, most notably a low cross from Chaplin that Danielle Carter couldn’t quite get on the end of.
The Hammers would come out of the break swinging as Canadian Adriana Leon had her shot saved onto the post by Moloney, easily West Ham’s best chance of the game up to that point.
Leon would again be denied by Moloney as a powerful effort at the near post would strike Moloney in the head and leave her receiving treatment after the shot went out of play. The Irish international would continue on but would give away a penalty only three minutes later after colliding with Rachel Daly.
Moloney would make amends by diving the right way and swatting away the spot kick to further frustrate West Ham in what was an onslaught of pressure in the first ten minutes after the restart.
Reading were not without chances as the game began to settle again, Carter would have another chance to put her name on the scoresheet but her effort at the bottom right corner was kept out by Arnold.
Another troubling sight for the Royals came not long after as goal scorer Lauren Bruton was helped off the field with an injury, the aforementioned game with Aston Villa was her first start in 16 months and Reading fans will of course hope that whatever injury she has sustained is not too severe. Bruton was replaced in the game by Rachel Rowe.
With the large amount of stoppages due to injury accumulated across the half, the game was set for a cagey end as seven long minutes of injury time were announced which left Reading clinging to their lead.
The Royals steadied by the composed and intelligent defending of Natasha Harding and Deanna Cooper were able to shut out the Hammers for a 1-0 win.
The win is Reading’s first away from home since November and keeps them on pace with the other teams that will be vying for the top half of the table.
West Ham, on the other hand are now left with only one point in their opening three matches, a record that they will be desperate to improve to avoid being dragged into a relegation scrap.
In each side’s next respective WSL fixtures, they face sides on opposite ends of the table. West Ham will look to record their first win of the season when they travel to high-flying Everton, while Reading return to the Madejski Stadium to host Birmingham, who have lost all three of their opening games.
The Inbound Observer 