READING HC took a huge gamble on Sunday, but it paid off and their reward is a ticket to Wembley, writes Dave Wright.

The Blues went into their final match in the indoor league against East Grinstead knowing they simply had to win to qualify for the semi-finals.

They decided to leave goalkeeper Tommy Alexander on the sidelines, preferring to play with six outfield players.

Player-manager Andy Watts knew his side would concede goals, but was quietly confident they were capable of scoring more themselves. He was spot on – they won 10-8.

“It was a risk, but it paid off and we are delighted to be going back to Wembley,” beamed Watts.

Reading finished third in the league to qualify for the semi-finals on Super Sixes day at the SSE Arena on Sunday, January 29.

And their opponents will again be East Grinstead, who finished runners-up in the Premier Division placings.

The other semi-final will see table-topping Surbiton taking on Sevenoaks.

Blues made hard work of qualifying, even throwing away an opportunity in their penultimate match last weekend.

Lying fifth at the time, they led Sevenoaks 7-3 at half-time, only to concede four second-half goals, three of them in the last four minutes.

It left Blues needing a draw to leapfrog Wimbledon into fourth place on goal difference, or a win to move above Sevenoaks as well for a third-place finish.

James Carson’s first-minute opener for Reading was quickly cancelled out by East Grinstead’s Nick Catlin, but another from Carson, a Harry Jawanda brace and a Tim Atkins – who has been named in the Scotland squad to play Russia in Spain in three matches next Sunday, Monday and Wednesday – strike made it 5-3 at half-time.

The goals continue to flow at both ends – it was 7-7 on one occasion – but the Sonning Lane men edged home thanks to further goals from Ed Carson, Watts, Imrie Gerrits, Mike Cullimore and Jawanda’s third of the game.

On Saturday, Watts scored three goals in the first five minutes as Reading defeated Wimbledon 7-2 while in their other game on the day they came from 3-1 and 6-4 down to draw 6-6 with Canterbury.

At the end of the eight-match league programme, Jawanda, who plays his outdoor hockey for Cannock, finished as Reading’s top scorer with 13 goals, 10 of them from penalty corners.

Watts totalled nine goals, skipper Tom Carson six, James Carson five and Ed Carson four.

The overall leading scorer in the women’s league was Reading’s Georgina Bathurst with 16 goals, all but one of them coming from open play.

However, the 19-year-old’s sensational scoring form went unrewarded as the Blues could only finish seventh on 11 points, four fewer than Sutton Coldfield, who filled the last of the four Wembley qualifying places.

But at least they won three of their eight games, the last of them coming in their penultimate fixture on Sunday when they defeated University of Birmingham 4-1.

England Under-21 player Bathurst netted a hat-trick in the first 10 minutes with Rebecca van Berkel adding a late fourth.

Reading’s total of 33 goals in their eight games was the fourth highest.