Jess Sigsworth scored late on as Manchester United beat Reading Women 2-0 to pick up their third victory in their debut Barclays FA Women's Super League season.

Kirsty Hanson’s first half strike put Manchester United on course to defeat a Reading side level on points before the start of play.

In-form Fara Williams led the charge as the visitors searched for an equaliser but Sigsworth put the game to bed five minutes from time to put United three points ahead of Reading in the standings.

Straight from the kick-off Lauren James slid Leah Galton in who forced Grace Maloney into a sharp save.

Then Reading went down to 10 players as Lisa-Marie Utland was receiving treatment for a facial injury and United took full advantage and when a ball looped up in the penalty area from a Galton cross Hanson judged it perfectly and volleyed low through the legs of Reading goalkeeper Maloney.

Reading were heavily involved in the game and Utland nearly capitalised on an errant back pass by Amy Turner but couldn’t round ex-Reading keeper Mary Earps.

Lauren James was bright for the home side and when she weaved her way into the penalty area, she managed to get the ball out of her feet and lay off to Galton who blazed over.

After the break Williams saw her fierce free-kick deflected over the bar and another free-kick narrowly missed as the Royals pushed for an equaliser.

At the other end substitute Sigsworth, the club’s top scorer added extra impetus to the United attack.

Dutch international Jackie Groenen played a silky ball into her path and the main stand thought Sigsworth had bagged another but it was just the side netting that had rippled.

Sigsworth did add to her tally late in the game as she burst clear of the Royals defence and this time fired over Maloney and into the back of the net.

Reading head coach Kelly Chambers: “It’s hard because performance wise I thought we were outstanding. If you watch over the 90 minutes and especially in the second half we were camped in their half.

"That’s the level we are getting to now, you can be on top in games but you have to be more ruthless in front of goal and that was the message to the girls at the end. You need to be more clinical in front of goal and if you do that you come away with more points, whether that would have been one or that would have been three.

"We came here with a game-plan, they’ve delivered that excellently today. We wanted to play the game in their half and for most of the game we did but the small margins are that you’ve got to be better in front of goal.”