READING’S hopes of closing the gap on the top two in the Premier Division suffered a severe set-back when they lost 4-2 to fourth-from-bottom East Grinstead on Sunday, writes Dave Wright.
Blues remain third, but are now five points adrift of joint leaders Holcombe and Surbiton.
“It was frustrating not to have kicked on today,” said player-coach Andy Watts.
“We had a lot of ball, won a good number of corners and created chances, but we did not take the most of the opportunities that came our way. 
“We also came across a goalkeeper in really good form.”
Great Britain and England international Paddy Smith turned in a man-of-the-match performance, pulling off a string of top-quality saves, especially from Rick Mantell and Tom Carson following penalty corners.
Blues were behind from the seventh minute when Louis Gittens was given time to fire past Tommy Alexander.
Eight minutes later, Alexander could only deflect a shot on to the arm of Mantell, standing on the line, to concede a penalty stroke, which enabled Simon Faulkner to make it 2-0 to the visitors.
Blues felt they should have been awarded a stroke themselves when Ben Boon appeared to be stick tackled in the area, but the umpire felt that the EG defender had played the ball.
Reading then forced two penalty corners in quick succession, with Mantell despatching the second to make it 2-1 in the 24th minute.
East Grinstead restored their two-goal advantage through Adam Seccull in the 31st minute and two minutes later skipper Chris Newman scored to bring the hosts back into the game.
Blues worked hard to get on level terms and forced four short corners, but they could not find the target – unlike Sam Driver, who netted a fourth for the Sussex side in the 46th minute.
“We talked before the game they (EG) would be a real threat at short corners and so it proved,” said a disappointed Watts.
Head of sport at Magdalen College School, Watts gave a league debut to one of his 16-year-old pupils, Kiran Patel.
Reading play fourth-placed Wimbledon at Sonning Lane on Sunday (2.30pm).
With the Great Britain squad in India for the World League finals, both clubs will be below full strength, but Reading will be only missing Simon Mantell and Dan Shingles while Wimbledon are six short.
Watts added: “If we can get all three points then we will go into the Christmas break with a bit of a lead over the teams below us.”