Albion are out of the FA Cup but they can feel slightly aggrieved after a battling display against in-form Reading at the People’s Pension Stadium in a cracking fourth-round tie.
Trailing 2-0, a much-changed Albion fought back with goals from Emma Koivisto – who scored for the second successive game – and Kayleigh Green to make it 2-2 before Reading substitute Tia Primmer grabbed the winner with eight minutes to go.
Emma Kullberg nearly equalised when her shot hit the underside of the bar and Albion saw a late effort cleared off the line but Reading held on to book their place in the last 16.
As expected Hope Powell had rung the changes for Albion’s third game in a week. Only four of the team that lost 2-1 to Arsenal – Megan Walsh, Koivisto, Ellie Brazil and Kullberg – started with Kullberg switching to central defence.
Walsh has been in great form in recent weeks and she twice denied Deanne Rose in the opening exchanges as Albion’s defence struggled to cope with balls down the middle.
Albion built some promising attacks down their left and although they didn’t seriously test Royals’ keeper Rhiannon Stewart in the first half they created chances with Kovisto’s dangerous cross cleared in front of goal before Aileen Whelan could pounce before Brazil had their best chance of the opening 45 when her close-range shot was blocked by Bethan Roberts.
Reading went in front with a scrappy goal from Albion’s perspective in the 33rd minute. They failed to clear Faye Bryson’s free kick and when the ball dropped to Justine Vanhaevermaet on the edge of the D she drove the ball into the bottom corner.
Reading doubled their lead six minutes into the second half when Rose, whose pace had caused Albion problems throughout, latched onto Troesegaard’s pass and fired past the advancing Walsh.
Albion were struggling to find their attacking rhythm, but they pulled one back on 68 minutes when the ball broke to Koivisto 12 yards out on the right and she fired an unstoppable right-foot shot into the roof of the net, making her Albion’s top scorer on three.
Now the home side had some momentum and they equalised in the 76th minute when Stewart made a hash of clearing a back pass and instead hit it straight to Green who fired into the empty net for her second goal of the season.
Albion had the bit between their teeth but Reading regained the lead with eight minutes left. Walsh did well to tip Rose’s powerful effort onto the bar but substitute Primmer was first to the rebound and bundled it home.
The home side rallied again and Kullberg couldn’t believe she hadn’t equalised when her close-range effort came off the underside of the bar. Julia Zigiotti’s late header was cleared off the line but despite their pressure Albion couldn’t find an equaliser.
Albion: Walsh, Koivisto, Gibbons (Le Tissier 37), Bowman, Kullberg, Simpkins (Connolly 69), Whelan (Zigiotti 69), Bance, Symonds, Brazil, Green.
Unused subs: Kerkdijk, Kaagman, Carter, Williams, Startup.