READING Ladies 2nds were crowned Trysports Three Counties League Premier One champions on Saturday when they drew 0-0 with title rivals Sonning, writes Dave Wright.

It was a tense affair at Sonning Lane, with Yvonne Craven’s unbeaten side (pictured above) requiring just a point while hosts Sonning needed all three.

Sonning had more of the game in the second half and forced a number of corners, but they failed to trouble keeper Katie Goddard.

Reading will now be promoted to Division Three of the South Clubs League.

Sonning finish third in the table, with Amersham & Chalfont snatching the runners-up spot on goal average.

There was more misery for Sonning on Sunday when they lost at Formby in the semi-finals of the England Hockey Vase.

They twice led through Anneliese Churchill and Katie Patterson, only for the Merseysiders to reply in quick succession, with all four goals coming in the opening 20 minutes.

The tie eventually went to penalty strokes, which Formby won 3-2.

READING 1sts ended a disappointing season with a 5-3 home defeat by Bowdon Hightown.

This left them third from bottom of the Investec Women’s League Premier Division – their lowest ever placing – with 14 points.

This is one point more than Bowdon, who go into the relegation/promotion play-offs, and two more points than relegated Buckingham.

So Blues’ shock 1-0 win at third-placed University of Birmingham last month when they were missing four senior players has enabled them to stay in the top flight.

Knowing they were safe, Reading didn’t show quite the same urgency as their Manchester visitors and went two goals down with Hannah Richardson scoring after six minutes and Lisa Garbutt after 23 minutes.

They were also not helped by a yellow card for Susie Gilbert after 26 minutes and seven minutes later she was joined in the sin bin by Charlotte Daly.

Before half-time they also lost Emma Scriven with a knee injury.

Helen Richardson-Walsh pulled a goal back in the 26th minute and the England international brought the scores level three minutes into the second half.

Blues, having more possession, then took a 43rd-minute lead through Gilbert.

Bowdon were starting to fear for their Premier Division safety, especially when they heard that Buckingham were winning at East Grinstead.

With 46-year-old player-coach Tina Cullen also making a rare on-pitch appearance, the visitors turned things around thanks to goals from Lily Wolstenholme and Sally Walton.

And it was England star Walton who put the issue beyond doubt five minutes from time.

READING HC trio Colin Cooper, Ian Phillips and Roger Wall have all been named in the England Masters' Over 50s squad to compete in the World Cup in Canberra, Australia, starting on Tuesday.

Club colleagues Peter Wright (Over-60s) and Alan Wade (Over-70s) will also be in World Cup action in Australia in early May.