Reading travelled north-west to the Academy Stadium to face a title-challenging and in-form Manchester City.
The visitors came into this game as underdogs - failing to beat City in their last 12 of 13 meetings. The win for the Royals came back in 2018, at the Academy Stadium.
Manchester City have scored in each of their last 16 games, racking up 38 goals in that time. They also boast the league's top scorer, Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw.
A win for both teams was necessary but for entirely conflicting reasons. Reading needed three points to pull themselves out of the relegation spot, as they risked dropping into the Women's Championship next season. City, on the other hand, is chasing their noisy neighbours, Manchester United, for their second WSL title.
For both teams, every point matters.
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Story of the Match
Reading came out of the blocks flying, visibly up for the occasion and aware of how important this game is for the club.
And, after just 57 seconds, Reading took the lead.
Yui Hasegawa recklessly gave the ball away in City's defensive third, and the visitors took advantage of the hole within the host's defence. Sanne Troelsgaard struck low and hard just outside of the penalty area to fire the bottom-placed side into the lead - stunning the 3,102 spectators into utter silence.
After a shaky start, a bout of strong possession enabled City to settle into the game. Chances came and went for Lauren Hemp and Shaw, due to the defensive intensity held by Reading - the Royals refused to make it easy for the former WSL champions.
As City's possession increased, so did their confidence - the opposite happening to Reading. After an intense period of attacking pressure in the 15th minute, the ball ended up in a crowded six-yard box and was eventually nudged in by England's hero, Chloe Kelly.
The hosts were now officially in the game. A period of beautiful technical play along the right-hand side between Kelly, Shaw and Laura Coombs led to a necessary block on the byline, with a City corner awarded. The ball was swung in perfectly by Alex Greenwood, finding a leaping Shaw whose bullet header gave the hosts the lead for the first time.
Reading, suddenly, had a burst of energy following their second conceded goal and had two opportunities at goal - which Royals fans will argue should have been netted.
The Citizens comfortably closed out the first 45 minutes, despite receiving a rocking in the first minute of the game, on top and in charge.
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Second Half
City came out for the second half almost identically to Reading in the first half. In just two minutes following the resumption of the game, a driving, determined run from Filippa Angeldahl into the box found Kelly on the byline, who slid the ball across the goal for Hemp to smash it home.
As Reading sat back, Hemp started to exploit gaps the Royals were leaving wide open. Picking up the ball on the left-hand side, City's number 11 took about five players on and left them in the dust. Hemp played a perfect ball diagonally through the backline and into the path of Kelly, who could not direct her shot the right side of the goalpost.
Unfortunately for Reading, any possession they gained back, lasted only a handful of passes. City's progressional play caused great issues for the Royals, who spent the majority of the last 45 minutes chasing the ball.
Nevertheless, the Reading backline deserves credit for their solid defending. City possesses so many technically gifted players, but bodies were well and truly put on the line by Kelly Chambers' side. Notably, Easther Mayi Kith did not have an easy task picking up the league's top scorer in Bunny Shaw but kept her team competitive with her blocks.
City picked up a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area and who should step up to take it but City's captain, Steph Houghton? Almost effortlessly, and like we have seen many times before, Houghton lifted the ball up and over the wall, beating Royals goalkeeper, Grace Moloney, for a fourth time.
This was essentially the nail in the coffin for Reading. In the final 15 minutes, visibly tired legs could not keep the ball under control, as City continued their attacking push right until the final whistle.
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Player of the Match - Chloe Kelly
City's number nine was essential in every one of the Citizens attacking pursuit this afternoon. If not driving down the wing to link up with the frontline, she was in the goalscoring positions that consistently threatened Reading.
Kelly was the connector for City this afternoon, linking all areas of the pitch together. Furthermore, her constant swapping of positions with Hemp caused a real headache for the Reading full-backs.
Her talent to beat players one-on-one through pace and technical ability makes for unbelievable watching, and has, this season, given her team that world-class edge. Kelly is by far one of the brightest players in this league, and today has all but guaranteed Reading's relegation.
She boasts a goal and an assist for her efforts and perhaps deserved one or two more of both.