Everton Ladies interim head coach Jen Herst insisted “the scoreline did not reflect the performance” after they lost 2-1 at Reading.
Hannah Cain opened her account for the club with a fine finish after 14 minutes but former Toffee Brooke Chaplen struck in either half to secure the points for the Royals.
But it could have been a much different story had Cain not been denied by a strong save from home goalkeeper Grace Maloney, while Inessa Kaagman was denied a goal by the linesman’s flag, with replays suggesting it was tighter than first thought.