READING RFC pulled off their version of ‘The Great Escape’ from South West One East relegation by sealing a dramatic 32-28 bonus-point win at home to second-placed Salisbury.

This game, like the season as a whole, went down to the wire as with 10 minutes to go Salisbury were leading 28-26 with the hosts down to 14 men after a yellow card.

To their great credit, Reading attacked and forced Salisbury to concede two penalties which teenage fly-half Matt Smart converted, and the Holme Park side then held on for a famous victory.

Reading’s win came on the back of easily their best performance of the season. They were sharp in attack – moving the ball quickly and accurately – patient with their phase play in attack and tenacious in defence where their scrambling defence was outstanding.

Paul Gaster, Reading’s delighted head coach, said: “It was the biggest game the club have had for many years.

“For the players it was about performance, giving everything they could and being proud when they walked off the pitch and today they delivered.”

Reading – playing against the wind – began with real fire, scoring three tries in the first 25 minutes and racing into a 21-9 lead.

Their first try came after the Salisbury full back was yellow carded for killing the ball near the line after a great break by John Cranton. Smart kicked for the line-out and, after a driving maul, Sean Kenneally forced himself over. Smart converted from wide out.

The next try came from another line-out near the line. When the initial drive was stopped the ball was moved to Smart who cleverly passed inside to Chris Greig who forced his way through for a try near the posts for Smart to convert.

The hosts’ third score came when, after more continued pressure on the Salisbury line by the forwards, the ball was moved quickly across the back line and Alex Murray-Smith ran a great angle to cross near the posts. Smart converted again.

Salisbury had stayed in touch with three penalties, two of which came directly from poor work by Reading after kick-offs.

They came back into the game with their two big locks and No. 8 trying to punch holes in the Reading defence and the pressure told when Gerald Hegarty was yellow-carded for illegally preventing the ball coming back near the Reading line.

From the resulting penalty Salisbury took the scrum option and scored a converted push-over try.

Reading held out for the rest of the yellow-card period and at half time led 21-16.

The hosts started the second half with some excellent phase play, but were rocked back by a Salisbury unconverted try in the corner to level the scores after a strong break by one of the locks.

Reading came back and the build-up to their fourth try showed their attacking play at its best.

After Murray-Smith had run a loose ball back, it was moved through two quick phases to Smart who threaded through a kick to the Salisbury line where Greig’s chase forced the Salisbury full-back to concede a line-out. Reading drove the set piece which was held up, but patiently recycled and re-drove until Rob Cunningham squeezed over for the vital bonus-point try and a 26-21 lead.

Salisbury were not to be beaten easily and another break by one of their big forwards saw scrum-half Ollie Cole yellow carded for killing the ball near the line.

The visitors scored near the posts almost immediately and the conversion gave them the lead with 10 minutes to go.

Things looked bleak for Reading, but they forced Salisbury back from the kick-off and they conceded a penalty converted by Smart and almost at once another one with similar results to give Reading a four-point lead.

There were still four minutes to hold out and Salisbury pressed hard, but the Reading defence now had the bit between their teeth and won a couple of vital turnovers to seal a stunning victory.

And with High Wycombe and Trowbridge both losing, Reading had survived by the skin of their teeth.