An unusual opportunity to watch a Southern Region game on a Tuesday evening presented itself this week. Wycombe Wanderers were scheduled to meet local rivals, and former tenants, Reading, under the lights at Adams Park. This would only be the second occasion that the Chairgirls had graced the AP pitch. I last watched a women's game at Wycombe back in 2019. That day it was Reading who were the home team, taking on Arsenal in their WSL days. These days Reading play their home games at Slough Town's Arbour Park and the glory days of the WSL are a distant memory (maybe to return someday soon?). Tuesday's game was a Southern Region Premier League clash that was probably more pertinent to the home side than to the visitors. Wycombe came into the game in second spot, still harbouring outside chances of reeling in Ascot United at the top. Although, eight points adrift with four games remaining seems like a long shot. All they can do is keep winning and hope that United slip up. Reading, who came into the game on the back of consecutive away victories against the other teams near them at the foot of the table, were now safe from the spectre of relegation and could concentrate on building for next season. The reverse fixture, just before Christmas, had ended with a 6-0 win for Wycombe, which included a double for the league's top scorer, Kayla Potter. Potter, along with strike partner Jessica Watkins, had already scored 44 goals between the two of them prior to kick-off.
A massive thank you to Wycombe's press team, who had printed team sheets in readiness for people, such as myself, asking for a photo. It's these little touches that give such a good feeling about a club.
A massive thank you to Wycombe's press team, who had printed team sheets in readiness for people, such as myself, asking for a photo. It's these little touches that give such a good feeling about a club.
Puddefoot blasts in a free-kick The Origin Stand felt pretty full as thew game got under way, with a very good percentage of visiting Reading fans amongst the crowd. However, it was the home support who were on their feet after just 3 minutes when Reading's goalkeeper, Cherry Preisner, came out of her box to clear, but only managed to send the ball straight to Jessica Watkins. The striker instantly controlled the ball before returning it over Preisner, only to see it bounce fractionally wide of the post.
Wycombe looked in the mood this evening though and within two minutes of that close call, they took the lead. Danielle Puddefoot, out wide, delivered the perfect ball for Jessica Watkins to meet on the volley from 8 yards. 1-0. A minute later it was two. This time it was Kayla Potter who went clear on the left flank before delivering a low cross, inviting Watkins to stroke home her second of the evening. 2-0.
Things were looking even more ominous for Reading after just 11 minutes. Conceding a free-kick out wide on the Wycombe left, the visitors set up for another ball in to Potter and Watkins. However, Danielle Puddefoot had other ideas, striking directly at goal and beating Preisner with power. 3-0
Wycombe were rampant at this point. Reading were finding it hard to keep possession, let alone mount an attack of their own. Meanwhile, Potter, Watkins and Emani Kassem, were constantly making runs into space for the home midfield to pick out. To their credit, Reading made a few tweaks to their game plan, bringing on former Caversham player Caitlin Levy into a defensive midfield role, and they did manage to stem the tsunami of Wycombe goal attempts quite well. Wycombe were still dominating the ball and home keeper Amber Taylor was just a bystander, but Cherry Preisner did manage to catch her breath after what have felt like a constant barrage in the opening minutes.
Preisner did have to make a good stop after 17 minutes and Potter, when in on goal, fired tamely at the goalkeeper at the midway point, but Wycombe were unable to add to their tally before the break.
HT Wycombe Wanderers 3 Reading 0. One-way traffic. However, after being three down in just over 10 minutes, Reading did well to stem the flow of goals. Wycombe's movement up front caused many problems for the visitors defence.
Wycombe looked in the mood this evening though and within two minutes of that close call, they took the lead. Danielle Puddefoot, out wide, delivered the perfect ball for Jessica Watkins to meet on the volley from 8 yards. 1-0. A minute later it was two. This time it was Kayla Potter who went clear on the left flank before delivering a low cross, inviting Watkins to stroke home her second of the evening. 2-0.
Things were looking even more ominous for Reading after just 11 minutes. Conceding a free-kick out wide on the Wycombe left, the visitors set up for another ball in to Potter and Watkins. However, Danielle Puddefoot had other ideas, striking directly at goal and beating Preisner with power. 3-0
Wycombe were rampant at this point. Reading were finding it hard to keep possession, let alone mount an attack of their own. Meanwhile, Potter, Watkins and Emani Kassem, were constantly making runs into space for the home midfield to pick out. To their credit, Reading made a few tweaks to their game plan, bringing on former Caversham player Caitlin Levy into a defensive midfield role, and they did manage to stem the tsunami of Wycombe goal attempts quite well. Wycombe were still dominating the ball and home keeper Amber Taylor was just a bystander, but Cherry Preisner did manage to catch her breath after what have felt like a constant barrage in the opening minutes.
Preisner did have to make a good stop after 17 minutes and Potter, when in on goal, fired tamely at the goalkeeper at the midway point, but Wycombe were unable to add to their tally before the break.
HT Wycombe Wanderers 3 Reading 0. One-way traffic. However, after being three down in just over 10 minutes, Reading did well to stem the flow of goals. Wycombe's movement up front caused many problems for the visitors defence.
Kassem about to head in Only a minute into the second half Preisner was forced to fly to her left to tip over a Kayla Potter strike that looked destined for the top corner. Preisner saving from Potter was to become something of a theme in the second 45 minutes. This effort was turned away for a corner but, unfortunately for Reading, the respite was to be brief. From the corner, Puddefoot's deep delivery found Emani Kassem at the far post, who was able to head home from close range. 4-0.
The pattern of play was similar to the first half. Wycombe stroking the ball around and Reading having to work extremely hard to stay in the game. It was almost five after 50 minutes when the ball fell to the feet of Potter some six yards out, but the striker lifted her shot over the bar. Five minutes later, Preisner performed nothing short of a miracle to deny Potter again, not once, but twice. First of all going full length to her left to palm away the striker's effort, then getting to her feet quickly to push away close-range effort from the rebound. Superb goalkeeping.
However, two minutes later and just before the hour mark, top scorer Kayla Potter finally got the better of the Reading keeper. Clean through, after running onto her own headed ball, Potter drove it low past Preisner for 5-0.
With just under 20 minutes to go Preisner produced yet another stop to deny Potter. The Reading keeper, despite already conceding five, had produced an extraordinary display of goalkeeping, especially when one on one with Kayla Potter. Jess Watkins, however, was having no such trouble getting past the Reading keeper. On 72 minutes, Potter turned provider, slipping in Jess Watkins who fired low past Preisner for 6-0 and collected her hat-trick in the process.
That sixth goal sparked some response from Reading, or maybe Wycombe took their foot off the gas? Whatever the case, after Royals substitute Megan Giles was denied a goal by an offside flag and Preisner had, yet again, denied Potter and seen Kassem blasting the loose ball wide, Reading set about chasing down a consolation goal. Chairgirls stopper Amber Taylor was finally called into serious action after 86 minutes, tipping Maya Raghunandanan's shot over the bare acrobatically before making an equally good stop to prevent Mia Bradley from getting a goal back. The Wycombe clean sheet was finally dirtied in the 89th minute when Maya Raghunandanan ran through to round Taylor before slotting into an empty net. 6-1. Disappointing for Wycombe, possibly, but for a neutral, it was good to see Reading get a goal back. A fitting consolation for their never say die attitude.
FT Wycombe Wanderers 6 Reading 1. The Chairgirls effectively got the job done inside the opening 11 minutes. It's the first time I have seen them live and, I have to say, they are an impressive outfit. The movement and pace up front would be enough to cause any team problems. I'm sure they will continue to keep Ascot honest until the title is mathematically sealed. Reading couldn't deal with them on the night, but showed a lot of grit and determination to prevent the score getting out of hand. Special praise has to go to Cherry Preisner who made some stunning saves. The double save from Potter in the second half was spectacular. A superb crown of 567 watched proceedings. Let's hope that means more games will be scheduled for Adams Park in the future.
Wycombe now have a free weekend to look forward to, before they welcome Sholing on March 30th. Reading, meanwhile, have another derby game on Sunday, this time even closer, as they travel to Bulmershe Pavilion to take on Woodley United.
Wycombe Wanderers: 1.Taylor, 2.Harvey, 4.Puddefoot, 5.Harte, 6.Lynch(c), 7.Watkins, 8.Carolan, 9.Potter, 11.Kassem, 14.Kern, 16.Hoesli-Atkins. Subs: 3.Schofield, 10.Wardlaw, 12.Cadore, 17.Monaghan, 18.Ashby
Reading: 1.Preisner, 4.Poole, 6.Lloyd, 7.Gajzler, 8.K.Raghunandanan, 11.Morl, 12.Bradley, 14.M.Raghunandanan, 17.Herbert, 20.Bolitho(c), 21.Dench. Subs: 3.Brooke-Cousins, 5.Levy, 9.Giles, 13.Reid, 19.Lee
Ground Number: Re-visit
Att: 567
Entrance: £1.00
Programme: N/A
One last indulgence from me. Every time I go to Adams park it brings back great memories of the FA Cup tie between Wycombe and Stourbridge (the non-league team myself and my Dad followed for more years than I'd care to remember). Although Stour lost 2-1, they gave Wycombe one hell of a scare. So, sit back and enjoy the explosion of Black Country joy as Dan Scarr equalises for the Mighty Glassboys.
The pattern of play was similar to the first half. Wycombe stroking the ball around and Reading having to work extremely hard to stay in the game. It was almost five after 50 minutes when the ball fell to the feet of Potter some six yards out, but the striker lifted her shot over the bar. Five minutes later, Preisner performed nothing short of a miracle to deny Potter again, not once, but twice. First of all going full length to her left to palm away the striker's effort, then getting to her feet quickly to push away close-range effort from the rebound. Superb goalkeeping.
However, two minutes later and just before the hour mark, top scorer Kayla Potter finally got the better of the Reading keeper. Clean through, after running onto her own headed ball, Potter drove it low past Preisner for 5-0.
With just under 20 minutes to go Preisner produced yet another stop to deny Potter. The Reading keeper, despite already conceding five, had produced an extraordinary display of goalkeeping, especially when one on one with Kayla Potter. Jess Watkins, however, was having no such trouble getting past the Reading keeper. On 72 minutes, Potter turned provider, slipping in Jess Watkins who fired low past Preisner for 6-0 and collected her hat-trick in the process.
That sixth goal sparked some response from Reading, or maybe Wycombe took their foot off the gas? Whatever the case, after Royals substitute Megan Giles was denied a goal by an offside flag and Preisner had, yet again, denied Potter and seen Kassem blasting the loose ball wide, Reading set about chasing down a consolation goal. Chairgirls stopper Amber Taylor was finally called into serious action after 86 minutes, tipping Maya Raghunandanan's shot over the bare acrobatically before making an equally good stop to prevent Mia Bradley from getting a goal back. The Wycombe clean sheet was finally dirtied in the 89th minute when Maya Raghunandanan ran through to round Taylor before slotting into an empty net. 6-1. Disappointing for Wycombe, possibly, but for a neutral, it was good to see Reading get a goal back. A fitting consolation for their never say die attitude.
FT Wycombe Wanderers 6 Reading 1. The Chairgirls effectively got the job done inside the opening 11 minutes. It's the first time I have seen them live and, I have to say, they are an impressive outfit. The movement and pace up front would be enough to cause any team problems. I'm sure they will continue to keep Ascot honest until the title is mathematically sealed. Reading couldn't deal with them on the night, but showed a lot of grit and determination to prevent the score getting out of hand. Special praise has to go to Cherry Preisner who made some stunning saves. The double save from Potter in the second half was spectacular. A superb crown of 567 watched proceedings. Let's hope that means more games will be scheduled for Adams Park in the future.
Wycombe now have a free weekend to look forward to, before they welcome Sholing on March 30th. Reading, meanwhile, have another derby game on Sunday, this time even closer, as they travel to Bulmershe Pavilion to take on Woodley United.
Wycombe Wanderers: 1.Taylor, 2.Harvey, 4.Puddefoot, 5.Harte, 6.Lynch(c), 7.Watkins, 8.Carolan, 9.Potter, 11.Kassem, 14.Kern, 16.Hoesli-Atkins. Subs: 3.Schofield, 10.Wardlaw, 12.Cadore, 17.Monaghan, 18.Ashby
Reading: 1.Preisner, 4.Poole, 6.Lloyd, 7.Gajzler, 8.K.Raghunandanan, 11.Morl, 12.Bradley, 14.M.Raghunandanan, 17.Herbert, 20.Bolitho(c), 21.Dench. Subs: 3.Brooke-Cousins, 5.Levy, 9.Giles, 13.Reid, 19.Lee
Ground Number: Re-visit
Att: 567
Entrance: £1.00
Programme: N/A
One last indulgence from me. Every time I go to Adams park it brings back great memories of the FA Cup tie between Wycombe and Stourbridge (the non-league team myself and my Dad followed for more years than I'd care to remember). Although Stour lost 2-1, they gave Wycombe one hell of a scare. So, sit back and enjoy the explosion of Black Country joy as Dan Scarr equalises for the Mighty Glassboys.
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