READING Chronicle hockey writer Dave Wright has been named the 2020 winner of the Graham Wilson Memorial Award for outstanding service to hockey journalism.

The award is in memory of the former Daily Express journalist and former Hockey Writers’ Club chairman, who died in 2016.

Dave was the first winner of the Chris Moore Memorial Award for local hockey journalism in 1996 and his career has lasted 58 years since joining the Wokingham and Bracknell Times as a 16-year old.

After a decade there he worked in London for three years on the weekly soccer magazine “Goal” before joining the Reading Post in 1974 where he lasted 40 years before it went online.

During his time at the Post, he also had 22 years of Saturday shift work on the News of the World sportsdesk.

Since 2014 he has been with the Chronicle, Bracknell News and Slough Observer covering football, cricket and ice hockey, as well as hockey for the Reading and Sonning clubs in the Chronicle and the Slough club in the Observer.

On learning of his award, Dave said: “I sincerely thank members of the Hockey Writers’ Club for this award. Even just to be nominated is a real honour, so I am absolutely delighted to be named the winner.”

“It is extra special as Graham Wilson was a fellow journalist I fully admired and always enjoyed reading his articles and talking to him.

“We have both been fortunate enough to work in a sport where there is a great camaraderie, from the very summit of England Hockey down to the most junior of teams – that’s players, coaches and supporters.”

“That makes a journalist’s job so much easier.”

Dave received his award at last Wednesday’s Hockey Writers’ Club Awards Lunch from Graham Wilson’s widow, Lisa.

l READING’s Craig Falconer was among the goals as Scotland finished runners-up to hosts Spain in the EuroHockey Indoor III competition in Santander last weekend.

The Blue Sticks crushed Ireland 11-3, with Falconer bagging a brace, and hammered Slovenia 9-0, with Falconer again on target, before drawing 4-4 with Wales.

Scotland – whose keeper was the ex-Reading star Tommy Alexander now with UHC Hamburg – then took on Spain twice, only to lose both times.

In their pool encounter, they went down 4-2 and then 5-2 in the final after a Falconer goal had made it 2-2 by the end of the third quarter.

Outdoor action at Sonning Lane saw table-topping Reading men 2nds beat Oxford University 2nds 2-0 in MBBO Regional One, the goals coming from Harrison Smith and Ted Warren.

Last Thursday, they had hammered their club’s 3rds 9-4 thanks to Tom Ferris (3), Jatinder Bachu (2), Sam Armitage, Adam Pescod, Jamie Rawlings and Archie Sweeting, with Kayron Stagno (2), Jarrod Casey and Ralph Haville replying.

Reading 1sts have arranged a home friendly with Sevenoaks for this coming Sunday (3pm).

The ladies also have a warm-up game, away to Slough on Saturday (2pm).

l Having had last weekend’s fixture at Banbury postponed due to a frozen pitch, MBBO Regional Two leaders Sonning men are home to third-placed Wallingford this Saturday (1.30pm).

Stephen Crowther netted five goals – taking his season’s tally to 15 – as Sonning 2nds crushed second-in-the-table Bicester 8-4 in Division One to stay in third place.

Colm Hanlon, Jordan Manning and David Painter completed the rout. Sonning ladies resume their South Clubs League Division 3a campaign at home to Teddington on Saturday.

In Premier Division Two of the Trysports Three Counties League, Sonning 2nds were held to 0-0 draw by Oxford Hawks 4ths.