READING men go into the second half of the season looking to consolidate themselves among the top four sides in the Premier Division table.
The Blues return to action on Sunday when they travel to Polo Farm to face rock bottom Canterbury (2.30pm).
With 10 games played, they are third in the table, eight points behind leaders Surbiton and four adrift of Beeston in second place.
But they have Hampstead & Westminster, East Grinstead, Wimbledon and Holcombe all close up behind them as the race for the play-offs begins to gain momentum.
Canterbury, however, are facing a tough battle to avoid relegation, having managed only four points and will need to make significant improvement if they are to survive in the top flight.
Reading will be seeking a double, having won the home fixture 5-0 last October.
Blues have strengthened their squad by signing Gurmukh Bhamra, a 23-year-old right half, from Richmond.
Reading Women have added 27-year-old Jane Chamberlin and teenager Zoe Hopkinson to their squad ahead of their first Conference West fixture of 2018 – home to bottom side Team Bath Buccaneers on Saturday (4.30pm).
Reading lie third in the table, four points behind leaders Trojans and two fewer than Stourport.
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