READING are facing a mountainous task to remain in the Premier Division of the Investec Women’s League, writes Dave Wright.

With just six games remaining, they now trail second-bottom Bowdon Hightown by six points and eighth-placed Slough by 10 points.

While Blues were losing 3-2 at home to University of Birmingham last Saturday, Slough were boosting their survival hopes with a vital 1-0 win over Bowdon.

Slough coach Kali Takher believes Reading are capable of beating Bowdon in Manchester next weekend.

But if Blues fail to win – and they have yet to register a victory this season – then they are heading for the exit door.

“We do need to beat Bowdon to stay in touching distance of them,” admitted coach Mike Irving.

“With Slough winning, it is going to be difficult to finish above them, but not impossible; stranger things have happened “I am confident we can get to the (relegation/promotion) play-offs."

If that is to happen, Blues must move up one place take all three points from their trip to Cheshire on Saturday.

“We drew with them at our place earlier in the season, but it was a game we should have won,” added Irving.

“I felt we are fitter and technically better than them.”

Blues’ head coach will be hoping his team can continue where they left off against the Birmingham students.

Irving added: “For the last 20 minutes we played aggressively, showing real fight and a lot of grit.”

Blues were left trailing as Erica Sanders, the league’s leading goal scorer, bagged a hat-trick with goals in the 14th, 39th and 59th minutes, all from open play.

To their credit, Reading didn’t give up and hit back with two goals in four minutes from Georgina Bathurst and Abbie Dixon, their first ever in the Investec League, but they were unable to get a third.

“They were scrappy goals, the sort of goals we would not have scored earlier in the season,” commented Irving.

Looking ahead to the trip to Bowdon in Cheshire, he said: “It’s a game we know we can win. We have done well against them on the road in the past.

“It may not be the prettiest of games, but I think we can come out on top.”

Reading Men, without a fixture last weekend, return to league action at second-bottom Canterbury on Saturday (6pm).