READING Women remain in the Investec League Conference West title race following their 2-1 win at Oxford Hawks on Saturday, which left them third in the table on 34 points with two games to play, writes Dave Wright.

Above them are Trojans on 35 points with one fixture remaining and title-favourites Stourport, who are also on 35 but with two left.

The top pair both have away fixtures with bottom club Team Bath Buccaneers this coming weekend, while the Blues face a much tougher contest home to Swansea City on Saturday (2pm).

The Welsh club currently lie fourth, two points behind Reading, ahead of their penultimate match at Gloucester City tonight (Thursday).

Their away game with Cannock, which was called off for a second time on Sunday due to the snow, has still to be arranged. One suggestion is to play midweek, on a ground somewhere between the two clubs.

Sophie Shakespeare, who had netted twice the previous week, opened the scoring against Oxford Hawks on 20 minutes with her 10th league goal of the season, but Blues missed several other chances to increase their lead before half-time.

Alys Richards doubled their advantage six minutes into the second half, only to see Bex Oakes halve the home side’s deficit in the 51st minute.

But Reading, inspired by skipper Emma Thomas and player-of-the-match Zoe Hopkinson, held out for a vital win.

The Blues are away to Premier Division strugglers Clifton Robinsons in the quarter-finals of the Tier 1 Championship on Sunday (1pm) with the winners home to Buckingham or University of Birmingham 2nds in the semi-finals.