Match Pack: Reading

Aston Villa Women finish the month of March this weekend when they welcome Reading to the Banks's Stadium.

Carla Ward's side enter the clash in the midst of a three-game losing streak, having last tasted victory on February 13th against Everton.

A treble of 1-0 defeats have since followed against the Toffees, Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea despite some impressive displays.

Our latest game, against Emma Hayes' Chelsea side, was particularly disappointing as Sam Kerr netted in the 92nd minute when it looked like a well-earned point was on the cards.

Remi Allen even struck the post whilst the game was goalless as Villa aimed to nick all three points.

But it wasn't to be, and the girls in claret & blue must now regroup ahead of the final five games of the season.

And if bouncing back from three consecutive defeats isn't enough motivation, coming up against a Reading side we are yet to beat since our WSL return should provide plenty of hunger.

We scored in stoppage time at the Banks's Stadium last season to salvage a 2-2 draw against the Royals, but our two visits to Berkshire have been ones to forget.

This weekend’s visitors to the Banks’s Stadium are Reading.

Kelly Chambers’ side are a well-established one in the top flight of women’s football and are enjoying another successful season.

The Royals currently sit seventh in the WSL and are only five points behind Tottenham Hotspur in fifth place.

Reading are winless, however, in their last five games in all competitions and will be aiming for a strong finish to the 2021/22 campaign.

Natasha Dowie leads the Berkshire outfit in scoring with six WSL goals to her name, but missed their most recent clash with Manchester United through injury. She will be hoping to return at the Banks’s Stadium on Saturday.

Canadian forward Deanne Rose also has four strikes to her name, meaning there is plenty of attacking flair for Villa’s defence to concern themselves with this weekend.

While we are yet to defeat Saturday’s opponents since our return to the WSL, last season’s corresponding fixture was full of entertainment.

Diana Silva prodded home in stoppage time to rescue a point amidst snowy conditions as we closed in on final-day survival.

Three To Watch

Rachel Rowe - In November 2020 she reached a landmark making her 100th appearance for the Royals in the 1-1 draw against Tottenham. Kelly Chambers commented “There’s not many matches in the women’s game each season, so to reach one-hundred with a club is a massive achievement. Rachel gave up everything back in 2015 to follow her dreams, and to work with Rach and watch her blossom into the player and person she has, makes me extremely proud of her.” Equally adept in any position Rachel finished top scorer last season with six league and cup goals despite not always playing in an attacking position! Hopefully Rachel will stay clear of further injuries, and this will undoubtedly be a great boost for the club during the remainder of the season.

Emma Harries - Emma has been a mainstay in the matchday squad and was thrilled to sign her first professional contract in January 2021 that will keep her at the club for at least 2½ years – “I want to thank the coaches for developing me as a player and the other players for guiding me and making me feel part of the team. I will continue to work hard to become the best possible player I can be for the team.” Emma’s first senior goal came in March 2021 “I was overjoyed when I scored at Bristol City. It capped a dream season. I had scored for Reading."

Gemma Evans - Gemma, who is now 25, hails from the Rhondda in South Wales, and when aged 10 played for a local team named Ton and Gelli. She began her senior football career with Cardiff City in 2015, and then made the move to top-tier Yeovil Town in 2017. Her first professional goal came in a 2-1 defeat against Tottenham in the Continental Cup. She joined Bristol City in July 18 making 51 WSL appearances (2 goals) in the last three seasons. Gemma reflected - “The past three years have been a rollercoaster of emotions, so many highs and so many lows. Bristol will always be a special club to me but I’m ready and very excited for the next chapter of my career.” Gemma, a regular in the Wales senior side with 30 caps, has soon settled in at Reading joining her compatriots Natasha Harding, Rachel Rowe, Bethan Roberts and Lily Woodham. Being able to play at both centre-half and at left back she provides valuable versatile cover across the Reading back line.

The Last Meeting

Additional Information

• The Community Stand will be open and available for fans to select their seat for this fixture
• The Hub, situated within the HomeServe stand, will be open for supporters to enjoy drinks and refreshments before kick-off and at half-time. The Hub can be accessed once through the turnstiles
• Matchday programmes will also be available to purchase in The Hub for £2 each
• Turnstiles will be open approximately 90 minutes before kick-off (11:00)
• Paper tickets are available to purchase at the Banks's Stadium turnstiles right up until kick-off, with eTickets going offline at 12:00 on Friday, March 25th
• Banks's Stadium remains cashless
• Please ensure your email address and preferences are up-to-date and keep a close eye on your account for the latest ticketing news