READING City moved to within a point of the top three in the Premier Division after a John Dennis double helped Andy Findlay and Rob Creech’s men to a 3-0 win at Lydney Town on Saturday.

The hosts started the game brightly and and nearly scored within the first minute, 'keeper Eddie Cavanagh doing well to palm a 25-yarder over the bar.

City defended well against a series of long balls from the home side, but they struggled to get into the game until a superb Dennis pass allowed Mitchell Parker to cut inside and threaten the goal, only for his effort to flash past the post.

Cavanagh was forced into another fine save, this time from a free-kick, but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock five minutes before the interval, Parker laying the ball off to his left for Dennis to apply the finishing touches.

Parker could, in fact, have doubled the advantage before half-time, only for his header to be saved, but Dennis made no mistake five minutes into the second period when he calmly slotted home off the inside of the post.

The outstanding Parker made it 3-0 on 58 minutes when he took a touch before smashing home, and while Lydney rallied, Reading City’s defence stood firm for a sixth victory in eight league games.

Reading City fared less well on Monday night as they were knocked out of the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup following a 3-1 home defeat to Flackwell Heath at Rivermoor.

The visitors fired an early warning as they struck the crossbar from a corner inside the opening 10 minutes, but it was City who went in front thanks to a stunning Harry Grant half-volley.

However, Flackwell hit back and levelled when Mo Ceesay converted at the back post, and the same player gave them the lead shortly afterwards.

Cavanagh kept the hosts in the game with a fantastic penalty save on the stroke of half-time, but Flackwell all but put the game to bed when Ceesay completed his hat-trick midway through the second half.

Reading City host Flackwell Heath again on Saturday, this time in the Bluefin Sports Challenge Cup (3pm).

Basement boys Woodley United suffered a fifth straight Division One East defeat as they lost 3-0 at home to Penn & Tylers Green at Rivermoor.

The Kestrels came out firing and had early opportunities through Chace Jewell and Kai Parton-Edey, but completely against the run of play Penn took a 12th-minute lead when Kingsley Etefia fired into the roof of the net from the left.

Woodley remained the better of the two sides, though, and Freddie Barron’s low effort went just wide before Tylers defender Charlie Lane got up well to intercept a Jewell cross with Barron waiting.

At the other end, Fred Tripp missed to the left following a cross from the right, while Jewell then missed from a tight angle for Woodley.

Parton-Edey forced a save on the half-hour mark, United captain Ben Clark missed to the left and Jewell shot wide from 22 yards as the hosts went into the break trailing 1-0.

Penn & Tylers improved after the break, though, and Etefia was only denied a second thanks to a fine challenge from left-back Pele Hagger.

Parton-Edey had another chance at the far end before the returning Adam Barnard sliced wide, and Parton-Edey then clipped a free-kick against the corner of the left-hand post and crossbar.

The Kestrels were made to pay for their missed chances, and within 60 seconds Tom Stables doubled the Penn advantage with a 30-yard stunner into the top-right corner.

A final gloss was put on the scoreline when Tripp made it 3-0 in the 85th minute.

Things got even worse for Woodley United when they were battered 6-0 at Holyport in the Division One Subsidiary Cup on Tuesday night.

United's Luke Titcomb saw red alongside an opponent inside the opening 25 minutes, but it was the hosts who took a 40th-minute lead through an Alan Akerman effort.

A quick-fire double from Jonny Feaver and Lee Owens early in the second half put Holyport well on top, with the final three goals coming from Fabian Driffill, Kris Drake and Imran Kassim as the hosts eased home.

Woodley United host Wokingham & Emmbrook in the Division One Subsidiary Cup on Monday (7.45pm).

AFC Aldermaston had to settle for a 1-1 Division One East draw despite earning a half-time lead at home to Chalvey Sports.

Jay Welch gave the Atom Men a 22nd-minute lead, but Jason Marney levelled for the visitors just after the hour-mark.

Second-placed Aldermaston do not have a game this weekend, returning to action at Chinnor on Saturday, October 6.