City earn solid point away at Reading.



Reading 1

Szekeres 37'

Oxford City 1

Edwards 43'

Oxford City shared the points with Reading in a tight affair at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. 

The Hoops fell behind in the fixture, but Yasmin Edwards headed home shortly before half-time in what was the decisive goal in seeing the spoils shared. 

In an early warning for the Hoops, Reading had the ball in the net in the 7th minute. It was a quick move forward from the hosts, which saw Boglarka Tramontini slot through to Natalie Cowell, who passed into the back of the net, only to look up to see the offside flag raised. 

The hosts then attempted again, this time with a strike across goal which dragged narrowly wide of the far post on 11 minutes. 

It was then City with a flurry of chances, the first as Edwards found Kate Parsons just outside the penalty area on 14 minutes, with the latter’s strike being met by the diving save of Sophie Butler, who did well to palm the ball out. 

Moments later, it was almost those two to link up again, with Edwards delivering to the back post, but a stretching Parsons arrived fractionally late. 

The game continued with plenty of chances at both ends, with Aimee Flood off of her line on several occasions, including one where she was almost at the centre circle to clear, to deny the hosts the early lead. They nearly took that lead on 20 minutes, with an effort powered across goal by Tramontini, but her effort dragged narrowly off target. 

Edwards continued to look dangerous, and almost went all the way herself on 23 minutes, driving forward from deep in her own half, only to see her long-range effort rise over the bar. 

In true end-to-end style, Reading also continued to create their chances, and were denied twice more by the offside flag after netting, on 32 and 35 minutes, but they did find their opener in the 37th minute. It was a low ball which snuck through a busy near post to Ellie Szekeres, who, unmarked, was able to pass over the line from a couple of yards out. 

City reacted excellently, with Edwards drawing level just minutes later, with a pin-point header from a corner on 43 minutes seeing the sides in at the half on level footing. 

Half-time: Reading 1-1 Oxford City 

Both sides started the half with strong intent to edge ahead, with Flood called into early action to deny superbly from close range. 

The Hoops also looked dangerous going forward, most notably through Emily Harris driving down the right-hand side and delivering into threatening areas. She almost fed Edwards her second of the afternoon as the game approached the hour mark, but the ball rolled just behind the arriving forward. 

A period then followed where a lot of the play unfolded in the middle of the park, with each defence doing well to stop their competitors advancing on goal. Reading almost found their way through in the 73rd minute, and they felt like they should have scored, but it was superb from the City defence, who threw bodies in the way to block the efforts that came in. It was Grace Craven’s decisive touch that cleared the ball off the line, excellent from the skipper as she kept her side on level footing. 

Flood was the next to make a fine intervention, with the keeper adjusting to tip an 81st-minute effort, struck from a couple of yards out, onto the crossbar. 

City were forced to soak up the pressure from the hosts as the game grew to a close, with a lengthy stoppage time seeing the Hoops dig deep to hold on, with an impressive defensive display unfolding from a City side that had been reduced to ten. That came as Harris made way after a confusing interaction with the referee which saw the forward sin binned for the remainder of stoppage time. 

City did hold on however, with everyone getting back to complete their defensive duties, and the Hoops doing well to take a point against a strong Reading side who were set on causing a late upset. 

City XI: Aimee Flood, Poppy Gorman, Grace Craven ©, Hermione Prescott-Luke, Billie Bough-French, Danielle Puddefoot (Ellie White 30’), Sophie Lester (Kiyana Fryer 67’ (Sammy Dziminowicz 86’)), Meira Ashby (Ellie Walecki 59’ (Yasmin Edwards 89’)), Yasmin Edwards (Kate Parsons 80’), Kate Parsons (Emily Harris 46’).