Northern Ireland forward Lauren Wade made her Women’s Super League debut at the weekend as Reading lost their opening game of the new season 4-0 to Manchester United.
Speaking exclusively to irishfa.com, the 28-year-old said: “I was absolutely delighted to make my debut for Reading at the weekend. Obviously, the result didn’t go our way but to be playing for Reading and in the WSL is a great feeling.
“I’m lucky to be in a professional set-up now in the WSL and Reading,” added the former Glentoran player, whose international colleague Jackie Burns was on the bench for the Royals. “The game is faster here than in Northern Ireland, which will take getting used to, but we’re making good strides at home and hopefully our game will keep improving.”
There was a return to WSL for Rachel Furness who came on as a second-half substitute for newly promoted Liverpool who provided the shock of the opening round of games by beating Champions Chelsea 2-1.
Elsewhere defender Demi Vance remained on the bench for Leicester Women who lost 2-1 at home to Spurs while in the Championship Sarah McFadden was among the goalscorers in Durham’s 3-1 win at home to Blackburn Rovers.
Also on the scoresheet over the weekend was Conor McMenamin who celebrated his call up into the Northern Ireland squad by hitting the only goal of the game against Coleraine as Glentoran stay top of the Dankse Bank Premiership.
In League One MK Dons had Will Grigg to thank for their 2-1 victory at Oxford United after the 31-year came off the bench to score an 84th minute winner from the penalty spot.
Defender Jamal Lewis was an unused substitute in Newcastle United’s draw at home to AFC Bournemouth while Jonny Evans’ Leicester City remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League following their 6-2 defeat at Spurs.
In the Scottish Premiership there was a first league start for 20-year-old Charlie McCann who played the full 90 minutes in Rangers 2-1 victory over Dundee United at Ibrox.
After the victory the Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst told the club website. “Charlie is developing really well. It is always nice and good to see that you have players coming out of your Academy to play in the first team, he deserved to play today and I am really pleased with his performance.”
Meanwhile in the Championship in England, Shayne Lavery, Ali McCann, Jordan Thompson, Corry Evans and Josh Magennis all started for their respective clubs, however, Paddy McNair, Bailey Peacock-Farrell and George Saville all failed to register any game time.
Finally, there was a debut for under-21 international Kyle McClelland who played the second-half of Cove Rangers draw at Partick Thistle in the Scottish Championship.
The 20-year-old central defender joined Cove on a season-long loan from Hibernian last week.