LAST Saturday definitely wasn’t one of the greatest days for our local sides as only London Irish and Rams managed to conjure up victories.

Mind you, Exiles were up against it trailing 11-8 at half-time in their RFU Championship Cup clash at Bedford Blues, but Declan Kidney’s men turned on the style in the second half to make it four wins from four in the competition.

Rams grabbed an excellent 32-14 win down at Redruth, which is never easy.

It shows how well Rams are playing at the moment and why they are top of the National Two South table by nine point. They should be able to maintain their grip on proceedings this Saturday as they host Clifton.

As for the rest of the Reading-based sides, it wasn’t a happy start to the Christmas build-up as they all lost!

My boys Reading were well beaten 32-3 at Buckingham, where two Buckingham tries either side of half-time proved pivotal.

Until the first try the game had followed a familiar pattern with the home side having more of the play, but Reading defending well.

In fact, with half-time approaching we were well in the game at 3-3 and were on the attack. The second half had scarcely started, however, when we tried to move the ball along the line 40 yards out and their alert wing Callum Gillie intercepted to score under the posts.

Worse followed as we conceded a second try soon after and, all of a sudden, the score had gone from 3-3 to 17-3 in favour of the well-drilled and fast running Buckingham side who, by now, were firmly in control.

Our ninth-placed town rivals Reading Abbey also found the going tough in their match at Bicester where the home side eventually ran out 22-16 winners of a tight confrontation.

And there was no joy either for third-placed BB&O Championship side Berkshire Shire Hall who came a cropper 50-0 at home on Sonning Lane turf against in-form second-placed runners Abingdon.

It means Hall are now 19 points behind their visitors and will need a good result away to sixth-placed Aldermaston this Saturday to restore their battered confidence.