Spurs open Conti Cup with 2-1 win at Reading - on-the-whistle report

Tottenham Hotspur Women opened their 2022/23 Continental League Cup campaign with a 2-1 win away to Reading at the Select Car Leasing Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Ashleigh Neville gave us the lead with a smart finish in the seventh minute, before Nikola Karczewska scored her first goal for the club to double our lead on the half-hour mark. Natasha Dowie scored a late consolation penalty in stoppage time.

Rehanne Skinner made three changes to the side that began against Arsenal in last weekend's north London derby, Asmita Ale and Angharad James coming back in and Karczewska being handed a full debut.

Drew Spence and Kyah Simon were on the bench while Jess Naz wasn't included in the matchday squad.

Molly Bartrip's deep free-kick was headed back across goal by Amy Turner early on, but it was an easy catch for Jacqueline Burns in the Reading goal.

Eveliina Summanen showed intelligent, quick thinking moments later, wasting no time with a free-kick into the path of Neville, who cut in from the right wing onto her left foot and picked out the far corner for 1-0.

Lauren Wade's foray forward and shot on goal was parried away well by Becky Spencer in the 18th minute, but Spurs didn't look like they were coming under too much danger.

With half an hour played, Spencer began the move for a lovely second goal. Accurately picking out Neville with a long, aerial pass forward down the right wing, Ash found So-hyun Cho inside the 18-yard box.

Cho showed good trickery to sit down a couple of Reading defenders with her footwork and could have scored herself, but her shot fell nicely into the path of Karczewska, who tapped the ball across the line.

Spencer gave the ball away to Amalie Eikeland, who volleyed onto the bar and over with half-time approaching, but Spurs went into the break with a deserved two-goal lead.

Celin Bizet cut in from the left wing early in the second half and fired towards goal, but it was straightforward for Burns to catch. Karczewska then won the ball in a dangerous area and played it inside to Bizet, who curled wide of the post first time.

Skinner made two changes in the 59th minute, Kyah Simon and Drew Spence coming on for Turner and James respectively.

With full-time approaching, Simon went down injured and had to be stretchered off the pitch, Ellie Brazil coming on to replace her as 11 minutes of added time were signalled.

Bizet put Cho through on goal in the game's dying embers, but her low left-footed strike was cleared off the line.

Reading were awarded a late penalty in stoppage time, which Dowie converted into the bottom right corner.