READING Women recorded their first Investec League Conference West win of the season by defeating Barnes 3-2 at Sonning Lane on Saturday, writes Dave Wright.

“I’m really pleased as the girls thoroughly deserved it,” said player-coach Jo Ellis.

“They have been working really hard in the last few weeks and it has all come together.

“We played with intensity and did the right things at the right time.”

Aussie Zoe Hopkinson did certainly the right thing when producing a superb reversed stick shot to put the Blues ahead after six minutes.

And 10 minutes later Sophie Shakespeare doubled her side’s lead from a penalty corner.

Barnes halved their deficit through Abbie Smith in the 49th minute, also from a penalty corner, but two minutes later Shakespeare restored the two-goal lead, again following a set-piece.

The visitors pulled one back with a Triona Doyle strike two minutes from time.

Ellis commented: “We played really well and deserved all three points. I am confident we can now start climbing the table.”

Blues move up to seventh in the table ahead of this Saturday’s visit to second-placed Olton & West Warwicks, who have won four of their first five games.

Reading Men defeated Wimbledon 1-0 at home on Saturday evening with skipper Ciaran O’Connell claiming: “It was a game we had to win.”

He added: “This was always going to be a tough game for us. We were missing some players and brought in a few youngsters.

“Sam Armitage, who has worked hard in training, did well on his debut, while this was Terry Kynaston’s first game with our new squad.”

Both sides cancelled each other out in the first half and there were few scoring chances at either end.

O’Connell revealed: “We went in at half-time and spoke about what we needed to do to grind out a win. We knew we had to keep a sound defence and we implemented it very well.

“It was a good indication of how we can play tactically and get wins when we haven’t got our strongest squad available.”

The only goal on a very wet evening came in the 46th minute. Lee Morton made a surging run down the Reading left flank with Wimbledon unable to stop him, and his cross was turned home by Jatinder Bachu.

The visitors worked hard to get back on level terms, but without success with the Blues keeping their first clean sheet of the season.

O’Connell commented: “The discipline we showed in defence went a long way to winning the game and overall I was happy with our performance.

“We have now got to start picking up points away from home.”

This Saturday (5pm) Reading are away to Sevenoaks, who are bottom of the table after managing only one point in their last six games.

“A win down there would be a nice confidence booster for our away games,” concluded O’Connell, who has seen his side concede a total of 11 goals on their last two trips.