A few days on from our UWCL draw against Juventus at Kingsmeadow, the Blues came up against an in-form Reading side led by Kelly Chambers. The Royals are unbeaten in all competitions since October, and shocked Emma Hayes’ outfit.

Even so, we weren’t short of chances, particularly during the first half with the Blues dominating possession.

Dean Rose gave Reading a shock early lead just three minutes in. She managed to drive at the Chelsea defence and play a quick one-two in the box before firing past Zecira Musovic.

League leaders Arsenal are in FA WSL action tomorrow and have the opportunity to extend their lead at the top to four points as they take on Leicester City.

Hayes made five changes to the side that started against Juventus on Wednesday, with Musovic, Leupolz, Fleming, Andersson and England replacing Ann-Katrin Berger, Ji So-Yun, Fran Kirby, Pernille Harder and Guro Reiten.

Erin Cuthbert again dominated play on the right-hand side of the pitch, while Sam Kerr and Jessie Fleming linked up well in the attacking third.

It was a busy first half for Cuthbert who had her first chance of the game shortly after Reading took the lead. Her strike from the edge of the box was deflected out for the first of many Chelsea corners.

Kerr was dominant aerially but the Blues were unable to convert from any set-piece chances. The Australian flicked on a header which bounced off Bethany England before she was able to control and strike at goal.

It was a slightly disjointed first-half, with play stopping and restarting constantly with free-kicks and goal-kicks.

Other than their goal, the Royals only had one other clear-cut opportunity in the opening stages. Lily Woodham whipped in a corner which resulted in a pinball-like scramble in the penalty area, before it was hacked clear.

Cuthbert again went on a dazzling run down the right. The Scottish International squared the ball to Joanna Andersson but her effort was way off target.

Millie Bright picked out Kerr on a run against the Reading back line, but there was just too much power on the ball for the Australian to latch on to.

The Blues had two free-kicks in identical positions just minutes after each other. Eriksson delivered the ball in from the left-hand side, Kerr again winning the ball in the air and heading down to Bright whose effort was hacked off the line, defended by four Reading players.

The Royals continued to put their bodies on the line after waves of Chelsea attacks in the first period. Shortly before the interval, Reading defender Gemma Evans made an outstanding challenge on Kerr who looked destined to equalise.

Cuthbert’s ball into the box was headed down by Melanie Leupolz, Kerr struck just high of the goal when Evans put her body on the line to deny the Australian. The Blues were quick out of the block for the second period, with Kirby and Reiten making immediate impacts.

The latter almost picked out the top corner when she gained possession at the edge of the box. However her effort was agonisingly wide.

Emma Hayes’ side kept knocking on the door, with Kirby drilling an inviting ball across the box for Harder to latch on to, but Maloney was equal to it.

November’s Player of the Month Fleming had a spell of brilliance in the second half, turning away from her player and then putting in a delightful ball for Harder, who couldn’t convert the header.

We ramped up the pressure even more in the final 10 minutes, with Reading firmly pinned in their own defensive third, but no goals were forthcoming.

It’s another quick turnaround for the Blues, as we travel to Wolfsburg for our final UWCL group-stage game on Wednesday evening.

Chelsea (3-4-3): Musovic, Bright, Carter (Charles 72), Leupolz, England (Kirby 45), Eriksson (c), Fleming (Ji 77), Kerr, Cuthbert, Spence (Harder 45), Andersson (Reiten 45)Unused subs Berger, Ingle, Nouwen, Fox

Reading (4-1-2-1-2): Moloney, Bryson, Peplow, Evans, Rose (Roberts 72), Eikeland, Dowie, Harding (c), Harries, Vanhaeverma, WoodhamUnused subs Woodcock, Lister, Baigent, MacDonald, Primmer, PoulterScorer Rose 4Booked Eikeland 28