MANCHESTER CITY WOMEN 1, READING FC WOMEN 0
- Georgia Stanway misses a penalty after Lucy Bronze brought down in the area
- Lucy Bronze’s looping shot beats Mary Earps in the 85th minute from Melissa Lawley’s free kick
Lucy Bronze’s late hopeful looping shot following Melissa Lawley’s free kick finally beat Mary Earps as City progressed into the quarter finals of the Women’s FA Cup with an 85th minute winner against Reading FC Women.
A flat FA Cup tie at a rainswept City Football Academy Stadium saw Melissa Lawley and Carli Lloyd make their competitive debuts for City as boss Nick Cushing tried to rotate his squad before their Champions League tie away to Fortuna Hjorring.
The visitors frustrated City with fouls to put them off their stride, with Harriet Scott earning a booking after bringing down the lively Lawley who took over set piece duties for City.
Lawley played wide in City’s 4-2-3-1 line-up with Lloyd playing in the number 10 position behind lone striker Georgia Stanway.
Lloyd showed plenty of quality, tackling, distributing the ball and also providing a great pass for Stanway whose 11th minute shot was saved by Mary Earps in the Reading goal.
Lloyd had the ball in the back of the Reading net but the flag had already gone up for offside very early from Nikita Parris’ pass.
Reading offered little danger to City, with Charlie Estcourt and Rachel Furness both shooting off target.
City had a late chance in the first half when Lawley’s free kick from the right saw headers by Jill Scott and Nikita Parris repelled by Reading.
Reading made the most of injury stoppages to slow play down in the second half, while City saw Stanway create a great chance to score from a ball sent across the face of goal with nobody to convert.
City finally got a penalty when Lucy Bronze was brought down by Manoy Van Den Berg but Stanway’s spot kick was saved by Earps and the youngster was immediately replaced by Jane Ross.
Nikita Parris’ shot was saved by Earps after she was put through by Lawley, with Houghton’s header from the following corner also gratefully stopped by the Reading stopper as City stepped up a gear.
City began racking up the corner count as Reading tired and substitutes Kosovare Asllani and Jane Ross had shots blocked.
The game was drifting towards stalemate before Lucy Bronze popped up with an unlikely winner.
Jill Scott was denied by Earps as City went for a second goal but they will be satisfied with a deserved victory.