Two Chippenham tries just before half time tipped the balance of what had been an even game in the visitors’ favour and, although Reading came back in the second half with two tries of their own, the visitors were always ahead and a late try sealed a win which took them up two places from bottom of the table. After this result Reading replace them.

Reading’s season is now beginning to resemble last year’s horror when they lost 13 and won two of their first 15 games. So far they have won two and lost eight, having lost their last six matches. With their next four fixtures against Grove (7th), Maidenhead (2nd), Newbury (3rd), and Old Patesians (1st) something drastic will need to happen if they are to get themselves out of the relegation position.

There was no doubt in this game that the players put in a good team effort and showed more promise than they had in their last game at Banbury. Rob Cunningham, Charlie Davies and Sean Kenneally commanded their own lineouts and the lost scrummages were one each. Where the visitors were better, however, was in control of the ball. Reading were seldom able put together a consistent series of moves to pressurise the visitors and they surrendered too much first half possession through kicking the ball away.

Apart from possibly over-kicking at the start it was a very promising debut for young fly half Sam Bowers. His was a confident performance and he mixed up his game well as the match went on.

For the first half hour or so the game was even with Alford kicking a penalty and Bowers replying two minutes later. Reading then had a let off when Cheltenham’s temperamental winger, Doggett, dropped a scoring pass metres from the line. However, by half time the other winger, M Dickens and lock Matt Bye, had touched down with one conversion giving them a 15-3 lead at half time.

Early in the second half Reading came back as Rob Cunningham finished off a line-out catch and drive and fifteen minutes later a well worked move from another lineout saw Sean Kenneally over for a try. Now it was 13-18 down and all to play for. As time passed, however, Reading found it more and more difficult to get quality possession and just before time, in a desperate attempt to score, they ran the ball from under their own posts, lost it and Dickens touched down his second try.

READING: James Mitchell; Ben Mitchell, Peter Czernuszka, Grant Spears, Chris Greig; Sam Bowers, Ray Mead; Josh Pallett, Alex Watson, Ryan Smith, Rob Cunningham, Sean Kenneally, Gerald Hegarty, Charlie Davies, Jon Cranton Replacements: Josh Nicol, Andy Parr, Nick Portch

Tries: Rob Cunningham, Sean Kenneally Pen: Sam Bowers (1)

Ted Goodhew