Reading manager Kelly Chambers says that she still believes that the club can avoid relegation to the Barclays Women’s Championship and that one result could change the make up of the battle at the bottom of the Barclays Women’s Super League table.
The Royals were leapfrogged by Leicester City yesterday and they now find themselves bottom of the table. Reading were defeated 4-1 by Manchester City in their latest fixture at The Academy Stadium this afternoon.
When speaking to the media after the Manchester City defeat, Reading boss Chambers said that there are still three games to play and that one positive result could change the outlook of the relegation battle.
“Anyone in football knows that it only takes one result and there are three games left,” Chambers said. “It’s hard when you’re sat at the bottom but we are not just up against it with the teams that are around us, we are up against everything as a club in this league. Given the financial resources of other clubs, it’s tough for us to push on.
“We have a group that want to fight and get out and the staff are the same. This was not a game that we would have earmarked for three points that would take us out of the relegation battle. It was tough to see Leicester jump above us yesterday but we are in a different situation with the games that we are playing.
“There are three games left and I truly believe (that we can avoid relegation). The other teams have tough games to play and we all know that anyone beats anyone in this league. It can take one result and that is what we have to keep our sights on because we have three games left.”
Reading established a shock early lead against Manchester City but they were unable to hang on. Chambers went on to say that she was pleased with her side’s first half performance but the second period was more disappointing.
“We did really well first half but we knew it’d be a tough test,” she said. “Every team that comes here gets a tough test, it is not just us. We knew that we were coming to play a side that are fully in-form and before they played us, they hadn’t lost here in 17, so we knew it was going to be a tough test.
“Going 1-0 up made it an interesting start and in the first half, I thought we were great, we made it difficult. The two goals that we conceded, certainly the set-piece, I thought we could have dealt with that better. We went in at half-time and we were fully in the game.
“When you’re still in the game, you’ve got to be positive in the dressing room (at half-time). We looked at things to make us defensively sound but we just didn’t come out for the second half in the way that we finished the first half. That was a disappointment because when you concede that early, you just have a mountain to climb.”
Reading are back in action on Sunday when they take on Aston Villa at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.