Chelsea Women 2 - 2 Reading FC Women: Royals put a dent in Blues' title bid

Unbeaten Blues hit back from 2-0 down to snatch a point at Kingsmeadow on Sunday.

But the result left the title-race in the hands of second-placed Manchester City, while Royals remain in sixth.

Reading have been a thorn in Chelsea’s side all season as Blues dropped their first points of the league campaign when the sides also drew 2-2 at Adam’s Park in November.

And so it proved again as Kelly Chamber’s women matched the hosts throughout a breathless and entertaining contest.

Royals drew first blood when Jade Moore was sent crashing in the box and Brooke Chaplen fired the resulting penalty past Blues keeper Carly Telford for a 25th minute lead.

Reading FC Women (orange) put Chelsea under pressure.

Former Reading striker Fran Kirby went close for the hosts at the other end, but the visitors made it 2-0 two minutes after the break when Fara Williams curled a delicious shot beyond the despairing reach of Telford.

However, Chelsea took only four minutes to reply as their pressure paid dividends when Eniola Aluko – sister of Reading FC star Sone – released Kirby, who squared for Jonna Andersson to fire in off the crossbar.

Reading then conceded an equaliser 17 minutes before the end after Blues had made all three substitutions.

Again, it was Kirby’s movement that caught out the Royals defence before the England ace slotted past Mary Earps to make it 2-2.

Chambers’ side had to weather a late storm that saw Earps produce a sensational save to deny Drew Spence.

And Drew thought she had won it in the 94th minute when she stabbed home after a free-kick had dropped to her, but it was ruled out for a foul on Earps.

Reading’s Rachel Furness said: “We were obviously disappointed to let the lead slip. Yes we got a very good point away from home, but we felt we gifted Chelsea the goals.

“We can definitely compete with the top teams. We had Chelsea at home and it was a 2-2 draw then, so it just shows how much we have come on this season.”

She added: “It is about game management and we know ourselves we had five or ten minute spells where we could have been better on the ball.

“We are improving every week so we will look at that moving forward.”

Fran Kirby equalises for Chelsea.

Kirby stated: “We weren’t good enough in the first half so credit to Reading, they took the chances.

“In the second half as well we were a bit too open, but it shows the character that we have in the team to get a point.

“It was my first goal against Reading. I’m friends with some of the girls here still but all I care about now is scoring for Chelsea.”

Reading are due to host Yeovil Town at Adams Park tonight (7.45pm ko).

Chelsea: Telford, Eriksson, Bright, Mjelda, Davison (Blundell 59), Chapman (Thorisdottir 71), Cuthbert, Andersson, Ji So-yun, Kirby, Aluko (Spence 60). Subs not used: Lindahl, Rafferty, Flaherty, Bachmann. Booked: Chapman 15.

Reading: Earps, Rowe, Potter, Pearce, Harding, Moore, Williams, Furness, Allen, Chaplen (Linnett 88), Bruton. Subs not used: Moloney, Gane, Fletcher, Green. Booked: Harding 44, Moore 81.

Referee: Helen Byrne.

Attendance: 1,652.

To buy tickets to an FA Women’s Super League match click here: www.fawsl.com/tickets