READING Women, without a win in the Investec League, have broken their duck for the season, writes Dave Wright.

The Blues got off the mark on the opening day of the indoor league, battering Buckingham 10-2 at Telford.

Teenager Georgina Bathurst led the way with four goals, while captain Emma Thomas and Rebecca Van Berkel bagged a brace apiece.

Georgie Blackwood and Jess Minshull-Beech completed the scoring in a game that saw them lead 5-0 at half-time.

In their other game on Saturday, Reading lost 4-3 to Sutton Coldfield.

Ellie Cockburn cancelled out Sutton’s first-minute opening goal, but the Blues then trailed 3-1with four minutes left.

The in-form Bathurst brought the scores level with two goals in as many minutes, only to see Vicky Woolford to snatch victory for the Midlanders in the final minute.

In their opening game on Sunday, Reading drew 3-3 with Berkshire rivals Slough thanks to goals from Cockburn, Freya Bull and Van Berkel.

Blues also shared six goals with Bowdon Hightown, who had won their opening three games They were behind three times with Van Berkel, Bathurst and Ashlie Caddick netting the equalisers, the last of them coming two minutes from time.

So at the half-way stage of the league games Reading are fifth in the table on five points, leaving them behind Bowdon on10 points, Sutton Coldfield with nine, Slough on eight and Canterbury with five.

Reading Men

READING Men are also fifth at the half-way stage of their league campaign.

Playing at Bromsgrove School, the Blues got off to a winning start by beating Loughborough Students 4-3 with all their goals coming in the opening 15 minutes from Harry Jawanda, making a welcome return to the side, and Tom Carson netting two apiece.

In their second game, Reading were on the receiving end of an 11-1 crushing at the hands of Surbiton after conceding four goals in the first 11 minutes.

Their consolation goal came from skipper Carson.

He scored twice more when Reading returned to winning ways on Sunday morning, beating Team Bath Buccaneers 6-4.

His brother, James, Jawanda (2) and Nick Park were also on target However, Blues then lost 4-3 to Bowdon, conceding the winning goal in the final minute. Their scorers were Andy Watts, Jawanda and Ed Carson.

The remaining league fixtures are to be played on January 7-8, with the men going to University of Birmingham and the women back to Telford.

The top four teams in the final placings will compete on Super Sixes day at Wembley Arena on January 29.