It was Reading however, who started to press from kick-off, forcing a corner inside the first 5 minutes. Newbury’s defence were well organised and cleared the resulting cross comfortably, sending Ruby Oliver away down the right wing for a quick counter attack. With Reading’s defence now back pedalling, Oliver sent over a telling cross to the far post. Just before Ellie Reed could latch onto the ball for Newbury, the last defender got an important touch to steer the ball away to safety.

As the half developed, the central midfield became a key battle area, with Newbury’s Lorna Parr getting through a lot of hard work to gain possession for her team. Newbury were having slightly more of the attacking play, but were yet to find that penetrating pass in the final third. When Oliver was felled under a late challenge and needed to go off to receive treatment, her Newbury team mates had a lapse in concentration that led to a rare Reading attack. Fortunately for Newbury, Reading couldn’t break the deadlock, with a rasping shot cannoning back of the upright and then out for a Newbury goal kick.

Just prior to half time, Newbury had their best scoring opportunity, when a long clearance down field from the goalkeeper was flicked on by Caroline Harkness into a wide area. The ball was picked up by Reed, who drove in to the penalty area from the left flank, where she found herself through one on one with the Reading keeper, but she put her effort just wide. So the score line remained goal less at the break.

Reading Ladies again started the second period as well as they had the first, by charging forward and getting an early shot on goal. This time, Chloe Hunt in the Newbury goal was beaten, but was grateful to see the ball rebound into her arms, coming back off the cross bar. Newbury came under further pressure, when they lost the ball in midfield and Reading were gifted another chance. However Reading could not convert, with their wild shot sailing high over the bar.

Having soaked up the pressure and with their defence still not breached, it was Newbury that took control of this encounter on 65 minutes. Skipper Leanne Creese received a pass out of defence and she travelled almost the full length of the pitch with the ball, before crossing infield to Reed, who had been pushed further forward, following the earlier withdrawal of Harkness to injury. Reed beat one player, before unleashing a low shot into the corner of the net to give Newbury a one nil lead.

With Reading tiring, Newbury were keen to take advantage and Creese’s influence from the right wing was growing. She went on another great run and played a fantastic one-two with Oliver, before tearing into the Reading penalty area herself. She drove in a near post shot that the Reading keeper did well to parry and keep out.

The same two Newbury players combined again in the 80th minute, with Creese beating the full back and sending in a good delivery from a wide position. Although a Reading defender got her head to the ball, she was only able to loop it into the path of Reed, who adjusted her body position and finished with a well placed header into the roof of the net. Newbury’s second goal putting the game to bed.

The three points were definitely Newbury’s, when a mix up led to the third goal on 88 minutes. Goalkeeper Hunt sent a long ball down field when kicking from her hands. The ball was deflected on by a Newbury player and Reed reacted by moving to the ball first. But she was already in an off side position. With the linesman flagging, Reed hesitated, but the Referee waved play on. Although the goalkeeper had now advanced to the edge of her area, Reed was stronger in the challenge and she stabbed the ball home into the empty net to complete her hat-trick.

It was nothing less than Newbury deserved, in what was a very competent away team performance. The clean sheet and the three points take Newbury to the top of their Jubilee Group, after a draw and a win from their opening two encounters. The Jubilee Cup being played in a Champions league style format.