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Goals from Sarah Thompson, Tyra Wilson and Nat Cowell gave the Royals a second league win of the season - and first on the road.

Second-half goalscorer Tyra Wilson in action

Reading Women chalked up their first league away win of the season with a 3-1 victory at Southampton Women’s FC on Sunday.

A late first-half goal from Sirens’ Chloe Ball was cancelled out by Reading defender Sarah Thompson, three minutes into time added on, to put the match all square at the break. A goal after the interval from substitute Tyra Wilson and late penalty from player/coach Nat Cowell were enough to secure all three points in a strong second half from the Royals.

Although it was only the third league match of 2025/26, it felt like a big statement for Ed Jackson-Norris and his young, developing blue-and-white-hooped team, with the hosts defeated for the first time this season.

Southampton Women’s FC (not to be confused with the WSL2 side Southampton FC Women) were relegated from Division One South West National League last season, along with Portishead – after only winning two matches.

Proudly rebranded as Sirens (not Saints!), they’re looking to bounce straight back to the National League. They’ve started their campaign with some impressive results, including a thrilling 4-4 draw against Oxford City, a 4-2 victory at Fleet Town and, similar to the Royals, going through to the FA Cup third-round qualifying after a win against Steyning Town Community last weekend.

There were five changes to the Reading team that knocked Manorcroft United out of the FA Cup. Lilly Hadrava was back in goal, with Bethan Poole, Lucy Bolitho, Keren Banduka and Cowell all returning to the starting line-up.

Isabella (Belle) Rowden, Assia Fatri, Poppy Whitburn, Lauren Knight were all named on the bench, alongside Wilson, who was cup-tied last weekend (being dual registered with Swindon Town). There was no place for Georgia Hayes (who limped off the field injured last weekend) or Mollie Dench, the latter still present to cheer on her teammates from the sidelines though.

Team: Lilly Hadrava (GK), Sarah Thompson, Keziah Banduka, Bethan Poole (Isabella Rowden, 87), Mia Parker, Captain, Lucy Bolitho (Lauren Knight, 74), Jazz King (Assia Fatri, 74), Tia Johnson (Tyra Wilson, 54), Ellie Manners (Poppy Whitburn, 67), Nat Cowell, Keren Banduka

Reading goalscorers: Thompson, 40+3; Wilson, 59; Cowell (pen), 86

Reading yellow cards: None

Southampton goalscorer: Ball, 41

Southampton yellow cards: Manisha Kaur, 40; Kaitlyn Cousens, 46

First half

After the Sirens kicked off, it was Cowell who set the tone of what was to be an entertaining game. Her and Reading’s first shot of the match came in the opening minute, but was comfortably saved by Leah Etheridge in the Southampton goal.

It was the home side that came closest to scoring in the opening minutes when a cross whipped in from the right, by Sirens’ Eva Coulter, bounced off Reading defender Thompson, forcing a quick reaction save by Hadrava to tip the ball over her own crossbar.

Both sides attempted early long-range ‘tester’ free-kicks. Both were struck well, with Southampton’s strike wide of the post and Thompson’s just over the angle of the goal.

In a first half which, at times, resembled more of a basketball match, there was constant end-to-end pressure. A flurry of corners tested the defences of both teams, with Thompson coming closest, rising high but heading just wide of the far post.

As the first half drew to a close, so the drama ramped up. With only five minutes of normal time remaining, Southampton striker Coulter turned and fired her shot wide of the post. Just a minute later, Johnson delivered a dangerous cross into the penalty area, with Keren Banduka – at full stretch – just unable to direct the ball goalbound.

And then the home side took the lead! Reading defender Manners looked to have dealt with a long ball over the top in a foot race with Sirens’ Ball, but after a moment’s delay in making a clearance, the opposition punished the indecision and pounced to slot home past Hadrava and into the net. 1-0.

The Royals’ heads didn’t drop. Three minutes into time added on, Johnson swung her corner kick once more to the back post. This time, Thompson (The Tower) timed her jump perfectly to rise and head home for the equaliser and her first league goal for the Royals. 1-1.

Half-time: 1-1

Southampton manager Gav Calder was the first to make a change, introducing Izzy Crooks in place of Jessica Soares.

Cowell got us back underway, the Royals immediately going on the attack. Kaitlyn Cousens was then the second Sirens player to go in the book, picking up a yellow card after a late tackle on the ever-dangerous Keren Banduka.

The early second-half pressure continued from the visitors, with Reading’s big central defender, Thompson, probably wondering what more she had to do to grab her second of the match. From a Johnson corner she once again jumped highest, with her header just wide of the post, before seeing another effort – a side-foot shot – rattle the crossbar after Keren Banduka had drilled a perfect pass across the Southampton penalty area.

Reading were forced into their first change when it looked like Johnson had picked up a knock, to be replaced in a like-for-like swap with Wilson.

It only took the Reading substitute five minutes to change the course of the match and put the Royals ahead. Her long-range free-kick rifled into the Southampton net, with goalkeeper Etheridge unable to react quick enough. 1-2.

With the home side wounded, it was the turn of Southampton to ramp up the pressure in an attempt to get themselves back in the game. On the hour mark they came close after a clever bit of play from striker Eliska Lynn caught the Reading defence off-guard, her tricky shot hitting the Reading post.

Fresh legs were added with Whitburn replacing Manners in defence, and later a double substitution came, with midfielders Knight and Fatri entering the field of play for Bolitho and King.

With the clock counting down it was Hadrava, in the Reading goal, who was still the busier of the two ‘keepers. First she pulled off a great low save and reacted quickly to punch away to safety, to deny the home side from two (more) whipped-in corners.

With 10 minutes remaining there was a bizarre moment, for the fans anyway, when the school tannoy system sprung into life and started to play a loud rendition of what can only be described as a rapturous musical fanfare while the play continued.

Although the music may have been a bit early, it was down to Keren Banduka to set up the final fanfare, felled in the Southampton penalty area after the Reading bench encouraged her to take on the defender. Cowell made no mistake with the spot-kick, taking the wind out of the sails of the home side for the remaining minutes of the match. 1-3.

Full-time: 1-3

It will be interesting to see who is given the (sponsored) player of the match decision, with, in my mind, two stand-out performances. Keren Banduka showed endeavour, trickery and never-give-up energy, alongside the towering (literally) Thompson, who scored her first of the season (and went close to a second or third!) at the same time as marshalling the Reading defence.

The game was a nice reward not just for the players, but also for the the small contingent of travelling Royals fans. They not only had to deal with a late change of venue and earlier kick-off time, but also had to watch the match through the caged exterior fence of the 3G pitch, which meant you couldn’t see down the nearest touchline and corners.

After some interesting results (see below) and with AFC Porchester having their match cancelled very late (with two of their coaching team diverting to turn up and check out the league opposition), it leaves the Royals in the mix with six points, after three matches.

The team are back in action next Sunday, October 5, with an exciting home draw in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup against Brentford. Details of the match haven’t yet been released, so look out for details on all the usual socials. See you there!