READING RFC battled hard against Southern Counties North promotion-chasing Buckingham, but were overpowered 39-22 by a well-drilled team who had the four-try bonus-point in the bag soon after half time.

Reading’s heads never went down and they were rewarded with a brace of tries from wing Chris Greig (2) and another from hooker Alex Watson.

Nick Burch added a penalty and a conversion before having to leave the field with injury, leaving Alex Dorliac to convert Greig’s second try.

Greig continued his phenomenal try-scoring form with two very good individual tries against another side who found him hard to contain.

Earlier in the season he had to miss a run of six games, but since his return he has scored seven tries in four games.

These tries have not been mere run-ins and the two in this game were typical; on each occasion there was not much on when he received the ball 40 yards from the line, but on each occasion a mixture of barges, side-steps, dodges and speed created tries out of nothing.

He now has 94 career tries for Reading and will be looking to join Alex Dorliac in the ‘100-try club’ as soon as possible.

The other try came from Watson, a fitting reward for another whole-hearted display.

Within five minutes of the kick-off Buckingham showed their power with the first of their three tries from line-outs.

Reading responded with a great move inspired by a Charlie Davies drive after several off-loads following a chip ahead by full-back Stuart Borthwick.

Watson profited with the try and Burch’s conversion gave Reading the lead.

The hosts were soon having to defend again, however, with a Grant Spears tackle preventing one try-scoring attempt before another line-out close to Reading’s line ended with the seemingly inevitable catch-and-drive try.

On the half-hour another converted try stretched the lead for the visitors, but Reading came back with what appeared to be a great try following another Spears run, but the final pass was given as forward and the hosts' joy was short-lived.

Instead a well-struck penalty from Burch made the half time score 19-10 to Buckingham.

The second half began with a dominant visitors side scoring direct from a five-metre scrum in the corner before Greig scored the first of his two tries after fielding a clearance kick.

However, another line-out catch-and-drive try plus another from a No. 8 pick-up-and drive from a five-metre scrum stretched the visitors’ lead before Reading came back with Greig’s second try, converted by Dorliac.

A late Buckingham try sealed a deserved victory.