A Reading scrum five metres from their own line was deemed to have been turned and a re-setted scrum was awarded to the home side.

And from this Adam Sullivan picked up and moved quickly away to crash across the line for the try. Fly half Lloyd Davis’ conversion was the last kick of the game.

Reading led for much of the game, despite conceding a fifth minute penalty, kicked by the reliable Davis. With the line-out work vastly improved and the wind at their backs Reading looked the better side in the first half and took the lead when a lineout catch and drive worked a treat for skipper Mark Roberts to score, fly-half Steve Mills converting.

Reading continued to look dangerous but avoidable mistakes – lineouts not straight, scrums put in not straight, penalties given away – disturbed the momentum and Trowbridge came back to score in stoppage time at the end of the first half. From a lineout five metres out a well worked lineout move saw Sullivan go over for his first try, well converted by Davis, and the home team were leading at half time.

With the wind now at their backs, Trowbridge looked to dominate the second half and Davis soon hit the post with an early penalty.

However, Reading fought back and a great run by centre Alex Dorliac laid on a try for Gavin Parke.

Mills’ conversion gave Reading the lead and this was increased soon after as another good drive from a lineout opened up the home defence and Matt Witko touched down. Mills’ conversion from the touchline gave Reading a 21-10 advantage.

This did not last long, however, as some slack defending gave too much space to the home side’s admirable full back, Josh Frost, who played in prop Lee Fairclough before Davis’ conversion brought them to within four points.

With the match now on a knife edge Reading needed to concentrate on keeping hold of possession, cutting out mistakes and grinding out a win.

Ultimately, with prop and skipper Mark Roberts having to sit out the whole of the second half with an ankle injury, they were unable to hang on and had to make do with a bonus point.

However there was much to praise in Reading’s performance, with good spells when the forwards drove well and the lineouts were considerably improved.

A number of individuals – notably Mills, Sean Kenneally, Grant Spears and Alex Dorliac – played very well.

The disappointment was the inability to hang onto possession and play the game out at the end – two of the Trowbridge tries were scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time, one at the end of the first half and the other at the end of the second.

Reading host Windsor on Saturday and should be boosted by the return of Al Blewitt, Charlie Davies and potentially Tim Macnaughton. Stuart Mills is unavailable and is replaced by Jason Donnelly.