Aston Villa 3-1 Reading

Rachel Daly’s impressive hat-trick ensured Aston Villa Women came from behind to claim a 3-1 triumph over Reading at Villa Park.

The England international made it eight goals in seven Barclays WSL appearances for Villa, who registered back-to-back wins for the second time this season.

Victory, a first over Reading in their fifth WSL meeting, lifts Carla Ward’s side up to fifth place in the table.

Lauren Wade slammed the visitors ahead in the seventh minute before Daly turned the game around.

Firstly, she headed home Rachel Corsie’s inch-perfect cross before seeing her glancing header from Kenza Dali’s corner deflect off Natasha Dowie and find the net.

Reading’s afternoon went from bad to worse just after the hour as goalkeeper Jackie Burns was sent off following a collision with Kirsty Hanson.

And Daly made sure of all three points when she picked herself up to slam home a 76^th-minute penalty, much to the delight of the 4,566 present.

Manager Ward kept faith with the same starting XI who secured a 1-0 victory at Liverpool last time out.

The hosts almost got off to a dream start as Dali fired just inches wide inside the opening two minutes.

But it was Reading who opened the scoring shortly afterwards to stun Villa Park, Dowie heading down a free-kick for Wade to volley home from 10 yards.

Alisha Lehmann drilled over in response before Laura Blindkilde Brown and Daly also sent efforts off target.

Daly nodded over just before the half-hour mark but she made no mistake in the 37^th minute, rising highest to head captain Corsie’s right-wing cross back across goal and into the far corner.

Anna Leat collected a long-range strike from Dowie before Wade also forced the Villa No.1 into action as half-time approached.

Yet there was still time for Villa to take the lead in injury time as Daly glanced home Dali’s near-post corner, with her header deflecting off Dowie.  

Hanson missed a glorious opportunity to make it 3-1 early in the second half, heading over Sarah Mayling’s cross from close range.

And Reading’s afternoon was made even tougher in the 65^th minute as keeper Burns was shown red following a collision with Hanson on the edge of the penalty area.

One of the first tasks for substitute keeper Grace Moloney was to pick the ball out of the net as Daly stepped up to slam home a spot-kick having been upended by Gemma Evans.

There was still time for youngster Georgia Mullett to make her first-team debut as Villa ran out comfortable winners.