READING RFC recorded a second straight South West One East victory with a hard-fought 21-16 success at home to Witney.

Two tries from centre Harri Palmer-Edwards and one from wing Chris Greig, allied to two penalties from fly half Matt Smart, having his best game of the season so far, did the damage for the hosts.

It was a close-run thing at the end, however.

Reading had to defend desperately in the final 10 minutes and Witney were destined for a penalty right on full time when their fly half was penalised and yellow carded for a head-butt.

Relieved of a very real threat Reading were able to kick for touch and get the win they deserved.

With the wind at their backs Reading took quick command in the first half, Greig’s try coming within two minutes.

It followed possession from a five-metre scrum which centre Alex Dorliac drove onto and good support play put Greig over wide out.

Reading continued to dominate and scored again seven minutes later. Witney caught a line-out but Reading took the ball off them, and although when Palmer-Edwards received the ball he still had work to do, his elusive running and power took him over and Reading led 10-0. Ten minutes later Smart kicked a penalty to make the score 13-0.

The general feeling was that Reading needed another score while they had the wind in their favour but, ominously, it was the visitors who scored next, a try cutting the gap to 13-5 at half time.

The visitors came more into the game in the second half and a penalty reduced their deficit to just five points.

Smart’s 55th-minute penalty stretched the lead again, but the visitors continued to have more of the ball and a second try brought them to within three points at 16-13.

Reading needed to respond and, to their credit, they did so straight away as a Witney kick was caught and passed down the line to Greig. The wing made ground and the ball was set for a ruck. Scrum half Will Barber ran the ball back to the short side and linked for Palmer-Edwards to race away for the try.

The try was not converted, however, and a 72nd minute Witney penalty reduced the lead to just five points with 10 minutes to go.

Witney pressed and Reading went through a phase when they couldn’t win their own line-outs to relieve the pressure and they had to defend a five metre scrum – something they had failed to do in the first half. However, they defended exceptionally well against a series of Witney drives and held out – just – to win the game.