Reading Hockey Club’s admirable efforts in getting their Sonning Lane pitch playable for the visit of Beeston went unrewarded as they were beaten 2-1, writes Dave Wright.

Several Blues players and head coach Jason Lee joined an army of club members in shovelling off the snow and it was the only Premier Division fixture played on Sunday.

It was a vital fixture with both sides knowing victory would leave them top of the table with both having one match remaining of the regular season.

While the Bees were left celebrating, Blues find themselves third in the table and now need to win at Wimbledon this Sunday to reach the play-offs.

They will certainly be playing in warmer weather than last Sunday when the temperature remained freezing with players unable to recall ever having to play in colder conditions.

So they deserve a lot of credit for producing a decent game for the spectators although both sides struggled to create many clear-cut scoring chances with much of the action played between the two circles.

Beeston opened the scoring in the 24th minute when, from a penalty corner, Stuart Loughrey illegally stopped the ball on the line to concede a penalty stroke, which Gareth Griffiths dispatched low past keeper Tommy Alexander.

Blues fell further in arrears three minutes into the second half when Marius Gemmel fired a superb shot high into the net.

But they worked hard to get themselves back in the game. Ed Carson did manage to get the ball into the net, only to be dubiously pulled up for an infringement, and then Lee Morton saw his powerful strike superbly turned away by keeper Simon Hujwan.

The hosts forced three penalty corners and it was from one that saw Ben Boon deflect home Rick Mantell’s shot with eight minutes remaining.

Another short corner was fired wide by Mantell, but the hosts were unable to get the point they deserved.

On Saturday, Reading had defeated third-bottom Brooklands MU 4-3 at Sonning Lane, having to come back from a two-goal deficit.

The hosts got off to a good start with James Royce opening the scoring after five minutes.

Sam Perrin equalised on 10 minutes before James Carson regained the lead shortly afterwards.

Goals continued to come at five-minute intervals with David Flanagan making it 2-2, and then Peter Cornell putting the visitors ahead a minute before half-time with Flanagan extending his side’s lead to 4-2 five minutes into the second half.

Two minutes later Ed Carson triggered Reading’s recovery by netting their third and Morton brought the scores level on 45 minutes.

There were just two minutes remaining when Boon grabbed the winner.

The three points, coupled with Sunday’s defeat, leaves Blues third in the table on 33 points, with Beeston (37 points) and Surbiton (35) above them.

So Reading need to win their final game at Wimbledon (2pm pushback) and it won’t come easy especially as they will be missing nine internationals with England, Wales and Scotland all heading for the Commonwealth Games in Australia.

At least, Wimbledon also won’t be at full strength with three of their players joining Blues defender Liam Sanford in the England squad.

Sanford, who is in the RAF, was this week named the UK Armed Forces Sportsman of the Year.

Having celebrated his 22nd birthday last week, he is a part of the Armed Services Elite athletics scheme, meaning he is given leave to train as a world-class athlete alongside his military duties.