Chelsea 3-2 Reading: Leaders survive scare to move clear at top of WSL
- Published
Fran Kirby slotted in to put Chelsea ahead as the reigning champions made it nine consecutive WSL wins since they were beaten on the opening day
Chelsea ensured they will spend the winter break three points clear at the Women's Super League summit by holding off Reading at a snowy Kingsmeadow.
Fran Kirby's early finish set the tone as the hosts dominated the first half, with Jelena Cankovic scoring twice.
Cankovic stroked in after Johanna Rytting Kaneryd struck a post and headed in a cross four minutes later.
But Reading then struck twice in two second-half minutes, through Sanne Troelsgaard and Amalie Eikeland.
Troelsgaard's low shot squirmed under Ann-Katrin Berger following some uncertain defending before Eikeland fired in off a post as their side threatened to end Chelsea's eight-match winning league run.
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes defended Berger but said her side had let their standards slip after surging into a commanding lead.
"I'm not going to target individuals," said Hayes. "As a team, I felt we were complacent and Ann has been a top goalkeeper for a long time.
"While she will have wanted to do better, we did not do well enough as a team in the second half."
The reigning champions had seen Arsenal draw level with them at the top of the table by beating Aston Villa earlier on Sunday.
Reading were aggrieved by Kirby's opener, as provider Kaneryd appeared to be offside when she collected the ball.
The third-bottom Royals remain seven points clear of trouble after an 11th away game without victory.
Royals' ambition gives Chelsea a scare
Reading head coach Phil Cousins was booked for protesting - with some justification - about Kirby's goal being permitted, although it is unlikely Chelsea's spirited opponents would have held them at bay for much longer even if it had been ruled out.
Despite the testing conditions, Reading's determination to press paid off when Millie Bright failed to deal convincingly with a cross and Berger allowed Troelsgaard's low shot to roll under her.
The team who had been beaten 5-0 on their previous two trips to Chelsea could not complete what would have been a remarkable comeback to claim an unlikely point.
Captain Emma Harries said the strugglers were "gutted" to have lost. "People didn't even expect us to come here and contend with the likes of Chelsea but it shows that we can compete with the best teams," she added.
On this form, though, Reading can look forward to their return to WSL action in January - and Chelsea's challengers for the title will have watched on encouraged as the leaders laboured to victory.
Kirby haunts Royals again
Chelsea goalscorer Kirby - born in Reading, and a graduate of their youth system - has rarely shown mercy to her hometown club, playing a direct role in 11 goals in eight appearances against them.
The England livewire averaged comfortably more than a goal a game during her three years as a first-teamer with the Royals, and her eighth against them relied on a piece of quick thinking from a free-kick and a failure from the officials to spot an apparent clear offside.
The early first goal was reward for a crowd of 1,184 who sang Always Look on the Bright Side of Life during the early stages as they braved freezing conditions to watch the final game of the calendar year at Kingsmeadow.