17-0 up after 54 minutes Reading seemed to be cruising to a certain victory but the visitors came back well to gain a bonus point and Reading were glad to hang on for the win at the final whistle. It was a win they just about deserved because they just had the edge in the scrums and lineouts and behind them Richard Lester had an effective game at scrum half.

The difference between the sides revolved around the scrummage, as both of Reading’s tries came from this phase. In the 12th minute they took the lead when they drove a five metre scrum to the line and Ben Hughes touched down. Alex Dorliac converted to give his side a 7-0 lead.
Dorliac kicked a 24th minute penalty after Reading prop Andy Grierson made a great drive in the loose and 10-0 was the half time score.
Reading made a good start to the second half and replacement fly half Tom Goodhew was just wide with a forty yard penalty. The visitors then had a flanker sent off and Reading took advantage of this by posting a penalty try when an Exmouth player was adjudged to come in from the side as Reading were driving over a 5 metre scrum. Goodhew converted and Reading were 17-0 up.

At this stage the visitors lost another player to a yellow card but they still managed to come back and score through centre Mark Wathen, converted by Cadyould.

With 20 minutes to go the game was now open to either side and this made it difficult to understand when, given a kickable penalty in the 28th minute, Reading decided to run the ball. They came close but to no avail and when the visitors, after some persistent pressure, scored with two minutes to go – the try from Jack Andrew, converted by Caddywould, the score was uncomfortably close.

For Reading the front row, Grierson, Fisher, Pryor, stood out, Kenneally and Uluikede did well in the second row and Dan Hughes and Ben Phillips starred in the back row, as did Scott Heirene in the unusual position of open side. Lester got the ball away well at scrum half and Goodhew made a useful contribution when he came on at fly half but the backs were nevertheless unable to show a cutting edge against good defence.

READING: Alex Dorliac; Sean Lynch, Ollie Smith, Andy Evans, Taniela Bakoso; Rob Sweeney (Tom Goodhew, 34 mins), Richard Lester; Richard Pryor, Paul Fisher, Andrew Grierson (Richard Bellingham, 60 mins), Sean Kenneally, Joeli Uluikede, Dan Phillips (capt), Scott Heirene (Gareth Libbey, 67 mins), Ben Hughes.

Match Facts: 12 mins Hughes try, Dorliac con (7-0) 24 mins Dorliac pen (10-0), 54 mins penalty try, Goodhew con (17-0), 64 mins Wathen try, Caddywould con (17-7), 78 mins Andrew try, Caddy would con (17-14)

READING TRIES:Hughes, Penalty
Cons: Dorliac (1) Goodhew (1)
Pens: Dorliac (1)

Ted Goodhew