READING men were sent reeling by two “sucker punches” when going down 2-1 to Holcombe at Sonning Lane on Saturday, writes Dave Wright.

“It was a disappointing result for sure,” admitted captain Tom Carson following the Blues’s second successive league defeat.

“We probably played a little bit better than last week (a 3-1 defeat at Beeston). We had good control of the ball, but just got sucker punched by a couple of plays from them and we didn’t put the ball into the net at the other end when we should have done. So it was frustrating.”

Reading enjoyed more possession in the first half, although without managing to seriously trouble George Pinner in the visitors’ goal.

“We didn’t create a load of chances to score,” admitted Carson.

“But it wasn’t so much the finishing that let us down, it was more about the piece of play just before in the build-up where we were lacking.

“Also, we should have scored from more short corners.”

Reading were first caught out in the 43rd minute when they failed to react quickly enough to a long diagonal pass from the right and Dan Webster came in the far post to turn the ball into the net.

But within five minutes they deservedly got on level terms.

Reading forced two penalty corners in succession and, after Rick Mantell had seen his effort blocked, Ben Boon found the roof of the net.

The hosts continued to press, but they didn’t help themselves when reduced to nine men for a brief, but costly, moment.

Ed Carson was shown a yellow card in the 54th minute and two minutes later he was joined on the ‘naughty boys’ chair by the green-carded Lee Morton.

Blues immediately came under pressure, conceded two penalty corners, and from the second Nick Bandurak netted the winning goal.

Reading threw everything forward and won two short corners themselves. They were only inches away with chances, but the formidable figure of Pinner kept them out.

They did scramble the ball into the net right at the end, but it was disallowed as the ball had gone out of play before being crossed.

Reading are home again this Saturday (6.30pm push-back) when they host Wimbledon.

Tom Carson said: “They are really strong, but we are not afraid of playing anyone. In my opinion, we have outplayed every team we have faced this season, but we need to get the right results .”

Blues will be missing Nick Park and Ben Francis who are with the Great Britain Under 21 squad competing in the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia which starts on Sunday.

  • KEELIE Perham scored twice as Reading won 2-0 at Team Bath Buccaneers in the Investec Women’s League Conference West, taking her tally to four goals in as many games.

Her first last Saturday came in the 39th minute when Abbie Dixon created the opening from a penalty corner.

Five minutes later, Dixon and Wiz Hunt combined to give the in-form Perham the opportunity to double her side’s lead.

Blues created several other chances, while the defence played well to record their third clean sheet in four games.

Forward Katie Pugh won the player-of-the-match award for Reading, who host Gloucester City this Saturday (4.30pm).