Manorcroft United 0-5 Reading Women: Match Report

Reading Women are through to the FA Cup third round qualifying after a comprehensive 5-0 victory at Manorcroft United on Sunday. Goals from Tia Johnson and Ellie Manners put the Royals ahead at the break, with substitutes Keren Banduka and Nat Cowell (scoring twice late on) rounding off a comfortable scoreline. 

Neither team played in the opening qualifying round, having received a bye. Reading got that as a tier five team and Manorcroft United went through automatically after Tilehurst Panthers (who appear to be in dire straits) were unable to fulfil the fixture.

It’s the first time any team from Manorcroft United had participated in an FA Cup tie, the Lemons’ coaching team proudly sporting commemorative T-shirts to record this historic moment: a nice touch.

The crowd, including the mayor, turned up in good numbers too. The set-up is very impressive, with surroundings to match, and although it’s only a short walk from Windsor Castle, the sole Royals spotted were the team wearing the teal-coloured third kit from last season (if only the US president had stayed a few more days.)

Manorcroft United are a club clearly looking to progress after a very successful 2024/25, promoted to the South East Counties Surrey Premier League as undefeated champions of the Surrey Division 1 North. They’ve quickly realised this season brings a whole new challenge and focus, after their opening league fixture ended in a 9-0 defeat against Carshalton Athletic (who finished runners-up to Farnham Town last season).

Although the Lemons still play two tiers below Reading (in tier seven), they made the Royals work hard for their victory. Both teams put in industrious performances, with Reading having the edge in terms of quality, fitness and strength of depth from the substitutes bench.

With a break from league action, Reading manager Ed Jackson-Norris took the opportunity to make eight changes to the team that lined up against Beaconsfield Town two weekends ago. There were debuts for young goalkeeper Sophie Butler and Isabella (Belle) Rowden, as well as first starts for Mollie Dench, Tia Johnson and Assia Fatri, with Tyra Wilson unavailable as a player due to her dual registration with Swindon Town.

There was also safety in numbers, with a ‘more than full’ substitutes bench of seven named. Only five of them are allowed to be used in this competition – and no rolling-substitutes provision. 

Team: Sophie Butler (GK), Sarah Thompson, Keziah Banduka, Isabella Rowden (Poppy Whitburn, 45), Mollie Dench, Mia Parker (captain) (Lucy Bolitho, 66), Jazz King (Lauren Knight, 66), Assia Fatri, Tia Johnson, Georgia Hayes (Nat Cowell, 45+2), Ellie Manners (Keren Banduka, 70)

Unused substitutes: Bethan Poole, Annalea Lane

Reading goalscorers: Tia Johnson, 17; Ellie Manners, 19; Keren Banduka, 72; Nat Cowell, 83, 86

Reading yellow card: Sarah Thompson, 57

First half

After an opening 15 minutes of tentative and stuttering play, Reading kicked into gear: not only to show that extra bit of quality and dominance expected from a team higher up in the pyramid structure, but also to provide that much-needed breathing space to allow them to settle down and really start to enjoy the cup tie. 

It was Fatri who had the first decent chance of the match, her shot going just wide of the post after Keziah Banduka had slid the ball through to her. The defender, Keziah Banduka, went onto have one of the stand-out performances for the Royals, playing right-back in the first half and centre-back in the second.

Although there could have been more, it was two goals in two minutes, which pretty much sealed the first half and set up the foundation to build upon.

The first was scored by Johnson, with a simple tap-in on 17 minutes, from a Manners right-wing cross. 0-1.

Manners was involved again just two minutes later, this time as the goalscorer, receiving the ball from captain Parker to control, turn and slot the ball past United goalkeeper Gemma Taylor and into the back of the net. 0-2.

Dench was unlucky not to extend the lead for the Royals, tapping home an effort from close range after Hayes’ shot had been saved, only to see the assistant referee raise the flag for offside.

Just minutes later Dench came close again, trying her luck from a tight angle, but with the goalkeeper standing first at the near post to parry for a Reading corner.

If Reading had thought they’d done enough, they were wrong. The closing 10 minutes of the first half was dominated by pressure from the home side, who won six corners in the process and were desperately unlucky not to score after Reading’s debutant goalkeeper, Butler, pulled off a fine save. The follow-up effort was headed off the goal line and eventually scrambled away for another corner.

The Royals made it to the break unscathed but not before a change in personnel, with Hayes limping off with an ankle injury to be replaced by player/coach Cowell. 

Half-time: 0-2

There was another Reading change at half-time, Rowden being replaced by Whitburn in defence.

Reading kicked off, started on the front foot and quickly won a couple of early corners to keep the pressure on the home side and try to put the game out of reach.

Dench, who will no doubt be wondering what she had to do to get on the score sheet, saw another attempt blocked by the goalkeeper.

Johnson also came close to grabbing her second on a couple of occasions. A rocket of a shot rose just over the angled post and crossbar, with another effort again ruled out by the assistant referee’s flag.

Although Reading kept on the pressure and created chances, it was the quality of the substitutes which eventually tipped the balance and broke the resolve and steel of Manorcroft United’s resilience, letting the Royals run away with the scoreline.

On 72 minutes, Bolitho set Keren Banduka free to coolly finish with only the goalkeeper to beat. 0-3.

And with just five minutes of normal time to go, Cowell grabbed a late brace to secure a comfortable-looking scoreline. Keren Banduka turned provider to set Cowell up for an easy tap-in (0-4), with Johnson providing the perfect cross for the Reading striker to head in at the back post. 0-5.

Full-time: 0-5

It was a great opportunity for some players, especially for those who have previously not yet had the chance, to get competitive minutes under their belt (or recorded on their tracker statistics), and for the team as a whole to get back to action after sitting out last weekend’s league fixtures.

There were also some great performances, effort and passages of play. These matches can only help to build experience, confidence and sharpness, which, as strange as it may sound after a 5-0 win, can only help improve the quality, composure and clinical finishing in front of goal, when taking into account the number of chances created during the match.

The draw for the third round qualifying is due to be made on Monday at 4pm, so keep a look-out for news of our opponents. The match is currently scheduled for Sunday October 5.

Before then the Royals enjoy a trip to the coast (Sunday September 28, 2pm) against another team new to the league: Southampton Women, who were relegated last season. See you there.