READING’s winless Barclays Women’s Championship run continued with a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Lauren Wade’s second-half leveller earned the hosts a point after in-form Elise Hughes had put Palace ahead.

The result stretches the Royals’ recent winless streak to five league matches, now sitting just four points clear of the relegation zone heading into the new year.

High-flying Palace started the game brightly but Liam Gilbert’s hosts posed a regular threat on the break.

Tia Primmer fired an effort straight at Demi Lambourne while Wade went close after being put through by Primmer.

But it was Palace who grabbed the lead just before the half hour mark when Hughes, fresh off the back of last weekend’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup hat-trick in her side’s 6-0 win over Chatham Town, headed the visitors in front.

The Palace forward got on the end of Felicity Gibbons’ free-kick to silence the home crowd and propel her side into a deserved lead.

But the Royals hit back moments later when Wade equalised on the stroke of half-time.

The Northern Irish international capped off a flowing Reading counter-attack by collecting Primmer’s pinpoint pass and coolly slotting past Lambourne.

Palace once again started the second half strongly but the Royals continued to pose a threat on the break.

Lambourne pulled off a fine stop to stop Wade netting a second before Gilbert’s side spurned a golden opportunity to win it late on.

Charlie Wellings pounced on a poor Palace backpass but opted to square it rather than shoot and allow the visitors to clear their lines.

Both sides pressed for a dramatic late winner but it ended honours even as Reading’s wait for a first Championship victory since the start of October continued into the new year.

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