A HAT-TRICK of tries by scrum half Stuart Borthwick proved to be insufficient as Reading slipped to a 29-26 defeat at Windsor in South West One East.

Yet, as the match ran into stoppage time, Reading led 26-24, following a fine penalty from Paul Boulard.

The task was to take the Windsor kick-off and keep hold of the ball for a couple of minutes.

The first part was completed but Reading were penalised, Windsor kicked to touch, won the lineout and spread the ball wide for the winning score.

Windsor deserved to win as they scored five tries to Reading’s three, their first three coming in the opening 18 minutes to put them 17-0 in the lead.

This was despite Reading having the dominant scrum.

Windsor’s first try came from an interception, the second followed a backs move and the third came from a tap penalty given away by Borthwick for kicking the ball from the back of the home side’s scrum.

Reading were then awarded a kickable penalty but went for the line-out, which came to nothing, but the visitors continued to dominate and 10 minutes later Jon Cranton picked up from the back of the scrum and Borthwick went over for his first.

It was 17-5 at half time.

Reading continued to dominate early in the second half and good runs by Fraser Banks and Chris Greig put them deep into Windsor territory where Borthwick took a quick tap penalty and brushed off several attempted tackles to score the try.

Two more penalties from Boulard and another Borthwick try following a Cranton scrum pick-up, with Boulard adding the extras, seemed to have put Reading in control, leading 23-17.

Windsor came back with a series of scrums and tap penalties and a converted try gave them the lead again.

Yet Reading responded and Banks raced on to Alex Dorliac’s pass at pace to head clear for the line, but sadly for Reading he was brought back for a forward pass.

Nevertheless, right on full time Boulard kicked a long penalty and seemed to have given his side their first win of the season.

But it was not to be.

Despite yet another defeat there was much that was positive for Reading.

The scrums and lineouts went well and Borthwick and Boulard controlled things well at half back.

New centre Melvyn Gilmour looked a good recruit while Dorliac, Greig and Banks were always a threat.