IT was a weekend of mixed results for our local sides as London Irish kept up their slim hopes of a great escape from Aviva Premiership relegation with a quite stunning 35-5 victory at Harlequins.

It’s been a traumatic season for Irish and especially the supporters, but there are signs of improvement since Declan Kidney and Les Kiss took over the reins and while they're still nine points behind Worcester Warriors with three games to go, they still have some hope.

That will be tested this Sunday, mind you, when table-toppers and reigning champions Exeter visit Madejski Stadium.

Hopefully Exiles can do the business and keep their dreams alive for another week.

There was less success for Redingensians Rams, who slipped to a narrow defeat at Bury St Edmunds in National Two South.

They didn’t shake off the travel weariness until the latter stages of the game when they ran in two late tries, but it was just not quite enough to overhaul the home side.

They welcome Canterbury – a side they thumped 40-15 earlier in the season – to the Old Bath Road ground on Saturday.

While Rams fell to defeat, my boys Reading turned on the style to trounce Southern Counties North basement boys Drifters by a massive 94-10.

It was our biggest winning score since we smashed Bletchley 100-7 all the way back in 2009, and it was great to see Peter Czernuszka score on his comeback!

Peter has played nearly 150 games for the 1st XV, but has been unable to play since the fourth game of the season, so it was a great moment for him.

Chris Greig ran in four tries, but all in all it was a great team performance and also one which lifts us above our near neighbours Reading Abbey in the table with two games to go.

We visit second-bottom Gosford All Blacks this Saturday and end with a home game against fellow strugglers High Wycombe, so fingers cross we end up ahead of Abbey.

They had a day to forget last weekend, going down to Thatcham, a result that they wouldn’t have dreamt of five years ago.

But it just shows how much Thatcham have buckled down in recent seasons and pulled their socks up. Abbey have another hard game this week against Wallingford but, at least, it’s a home game which might help them.

Lastly, congratulations also to Berkshire Shire Hall who knocked up one of their biggest league wins in thrashing Harwell 57-14.

It should, at least, put the frighteners up Faringdon who visit this Saturday.