Reading Women fought back from 3-1 down at half-time to claim a thrilling 5-3 victory over Chesham United at The Meadow on Sunday.
Chesham made a flying start, with Holly Fitzgerald and Ruby Slade scoring within two minutes of each other to put the hosts 2-0 ahead. Alice Curr pulled one back for the Royals, but United restored their two-goal advantage before the break when Henrietta Cunnison headed home from a corner to make it 3-1 at the break.
The first half was made even worse after an injury to Leah Why, last weekend’s hat-trick hero, who hobbled off with assistance from two members of the Reading coaching team before being taken to hospital for further tests.
Reading bounced back with a determined second half, however. Bethan Poole struck first to give the Royals renewed vigour before Nat Cowell scored twice to complete the turnaround and put Reading in front, before Ellie Luscombe opened her account for the season and added a fifth goal, capping off an impressive turnaround and putting the result beyond doubt.
In the most autumnal of conditions, with torrential rain falling throughout the afternoon, the Royals displayed grit, tenacity and strength of character, fighting back to secure their second consecutive away league win of the season.
Reading faced a Chesham United side adjusting to life in tier five of the football pyramid following their relegation from the National League Division One South East, having endured a difficult 2025/26 campaign, winning just one league match.
It’s been a challenging start to this season for Chesham too, with their only two victories to date coming against Woodley United. They secured a 3-2 league win before recording a 4-1 victory in the FA Cup, only to see their cup run come to an end in the third round qualifying after a 3-2 defeat to Royston Town.
Reading had been due to face Penn & Tylers Green in the Combined Counties Cup midweek, but the fixture took an unexpected turn when the opposition initially sought a postponement, indicating they were not ready to face the Royals (not really sure how that works?)
And even more bizarrely, following further consideration, Penn & Tylers Green decided not to fulfil the fixture, forfeiting the tie and allowing Reading to progress to the second round of the competition.
Following an unexpected seven-day wait between fixtures, Reading manager Ed Jackson-Norris made four changes to the starting XI that had run riot against Sholing last weekend. Curr, Poole, Sophie Bishop and Mia Parker all came into the side.
Sarah Thompson watched from the stands after picking up a knock, while Bogi Tramontini was away on international duty. Poppy Whitburn and a heavily strapped Freya Morgan were included on a strong substitutes bench. Recent signing Macey-Nikiah Walters was included for the first time, while Keren Banduka was named among the substitutes for just the second time.
It was also Bishop’s first return to Chesham after she left the club during the summer to sign for the Royals. The teenage striker added pace, energy and competition to Reading’s front line, alongside goals, netting six times from a total of seven matches.
Team (3-1-4-1-1): Sophie Butler (GK), Bethan Poole, Lara Moore, Keziah Banduka, Ellie Szekeres (Martha Riley, 70’), Mia Parker (captain) (Freya Morgan, 65’), Ellie Luscombe, Leah Why (Poppy Whitburn, 38’), Sophie Bishop (Macey-Nikiah Walters, 65’), Nat Cowell (Keren Banduka, 70’), Alice Curr
Reading goalscorers: Alice Curr, 27’; Bethan Poole, 48’; Nat Cowell, 52’, 54’; Ellie Luscombe 63’
Chesham United: Holly Fitzgerald, 22’; Ruby Slade, 23’; Henrietta Cunnison, 32’
Reading yellow cards: None
Chesham United yellow cards: Victoria Collett, 57’; Mehak Khanna, 75’; Henrietta Cunnison, 81’
First half
Reading started brightly, winning two corners in the opening few minutes and threatening early on. Cowell saw a half-volley fly narrowly wide of the post, before Chesham were forced to clear an effort off the line following another dangerous delivery from a Curr set-piece.
If the sight of fork lightning behind the far stand was a surprise, there were further shocks to come when the hosts opened up a shock two-goal lead halfway through the opening 45 minutes.
With the heavens well and truly open, Chesham took the lead through Fitzgerald. Emma Bebbington delivered a dangerous free-kick into the Reading penalty area, and after the ball bounced off Royals goalkeeper Butler, Fitzgerald reacted quickest to turn home from close range and make it 1-0.
Reading had barely had time to recover before Chesham doubled their advantage less than a minute later. Butler was unable to hold a cross from the right, allowing Chesham’s number nine, Slade, to pounce on the loose ball and prod home from close range. 2-0.
It was a difficult couple of minutes for Butler, but Royals goalkeeping coach Ryan Robinson will be confident the young shot-stopper can bounce back from. Speaking to us last year, Robinson highlighted the importance of mental strength in the position:
“What’s really impressed me with all of them is their mindset and their mental resilience. I know first and foremost as a goalkeeper that it can be a really difficult place to be.”
With Curr and Why providing width and Cowell and Bishop leading the line, Reading possess a formidable attacking threat capable of troubling any side in the league. It was therefore little surprise when the Royals found a way back into the match.
Keziah Banduka played a pass out from the back to Bishop, who released Curr down the right. The Royals forward drove into the penalty area, before finishing superbly beyond Chesham goalkeeper Lucy McNamee, giving her no chance and registering her fifth goal of the season to reduce the deficit to 2-1.
Just as Reading looked to build on their momentum and push for an equaliser, Chesham struck again. Butler produced an excellent fingertip save to concede the hosts’ second corner of the match, but Reading were unable to deal with the resulting delivery.
Chesham’s number 11, Cunnison, was afforded too much space at the back post for a close-range header, the ball going in off the post. 3-1.
With half-time approaching and the warmth of the changing rooms beckoning, play was halted for several minutes following a heavy challenge involving Why. Sadly, the incident saw the Reading striker unable to continue, requiring assistance to leave the field before being taken to hospital for further tests.
Everyone will be hoping for positive news on her condition and wishing her a speedy recovery.
Half-time: 1-3
Reading needed a strong second-half response, and that was exactly what they produced in a remarkable turnaround, scoring four goals without reply in a frantic 15-minute spell.
Just three minutes after the restart, Reading pulled one back. Poole scored her second headed goal of the season, with a perfectly executed near-post finish to reduce the deficit and provide the immediate response the team and loyal Royals wanted to see. 2-3.
Cowell was next on the scoresheet, netting twice in the space of two minutes to turn the game on its head and bring Reading level.
A well worked move began with Szekeres winning possession, following the goalkeeper’s long kick towards Bishop. The ball was worked out to Curr on the right, whose delivery found Cowell in the penalty area. The forward made no mistake from close range, just too strong for the Chesham defence, to level the scores at 3-3.
Cowell’s second was an outstanding solo effort that put Reading ahead for the first time in the match.
Latching onto a long ball forward from Poole, she showed excellent footwork to twist and turn away from two Chesham defenders before unleashing a left-footed strike from the edge of the penalty area.
The ball sailed over the goalkeeper and into the net, completing a great turnaround and sending the Royals into a 3-4 lead.
With an hour gone, Luscombe effectively put the result beyond doubt by adding Reading’s fifth. The combative midfielder rose to power home another excellent corner from Curr, who continued her impressive contribution with what I believe was her 10th assist of the season to date, and league-leading tally. 3-5.
With the home side struggling – down to 10 players due to injuries and fatigue, and unable to field a full substitutes bench – Jackson-Norris piled on more pressure. He made his remaining changes to see out a result that was no longer in doubt, Walters making her debut for the Royals after joining from Ascot United.
Whitburn came closest to extending the lead further when her right-foot rocket of a shot smashed against the upright, the force of her effort temporarily removing the surplus water from the post and net in a spectacular mini-waterfall moment.
Full-time: 3-5
There are two cup fixtures to put in your diary this week:
- Wednesday October 21, KO TBC: Mid-week cup action with a trip to North London to face Enfield Town in the second round of the Isthmian Cup, a new tournament for Reading this season (after receiving a bye in the opening round)
- Sunday October 25, 2pm: The Royals are clocking up more miles on the road with a journey south to play Havant & Waterlooville – top of tier six – in the opening round of the League Cup
See you there!
Other league results
- Farnham Town 5-1 Denham United
- Oxford City 3-0 Beaconsfield Town
- Southampton Women 0-4 AFC Portchester
- Winchester City Flyers 5-1 Woodley United
League standings (top seven teams)
- Farnham Town: 13 points from five matches
- AFC Portchester: 13 points from five matches
- Winchester City Flyers: 12 points from five matches
- Reading: 10 points from five matches
- Southampton Women: 10 points from six matches
- Oxford City: seven points from four matches
- Denham United: seven points from five matches