READING have had something of a roller-coaster Southern Counties North season, but their first game of 2018 proved to be another low point as they were hammered 61-17 at home by high-flying county rivals Windsor.

The hosts had won three of their last five games before the Christmas break, scoring heavily, and had also racked up a decent haul of points in the two games they narrowly lost.

In this game against a Windsor side they had run close early in the season they made a good start, dominating the first 10 minutes or so. However, then it all went wrong.

Windsor were much-improved and played some good flowing rugby.

They scored the first of their nine tries in the 20th minute and by half time had added another three, leading 26-0 at the break with a try bonus-point already secured.

Early in the second half, they added another to make it 33-0, and Reading were facing a real pasting.

The home side kept going, though, and came close to scoring when wing Sam Taylor looked to have registered, only for the try to be ruled out on the evidence of the Reading touch-judge.

Chris Greig was also pulled back on his way to the line for a foot on the touch line.

Yet they did cross early in the second half when a Windsor line-out was stolen and a forward drive opened a gap for Ash Chapman to drive through for the line, Nick Portch converting.

Windsor then added a converted try before a good Reading move, switching the ball right and left, gave speedy full back James Mitchell enough space to race away from would-be tacklers for the try.

Reading mistakes kept Windsor interested, however, as possession was coughed up for two more tries for the visitors before scrum half Nick Portch scored after a tap penalty in Windsor’s 22.

Portch converted his try, but it was Windsor who finished off the scoring with a late converted try.

Reading face an almighty test when they visit league leaders Beaconsfield, a team who scored over 40 points at Holme Park earlier in the season, on Saturday.

  • BERKSHIRE Shire Hall remain seventh in the BB&O Championship after suffering a heavy 44-17 reverse at Chipping Norton.

They welcome rock bottom Faringdon to Sonning Lane on Saturday.