READING finished the season with their fourth bonus-point win in a row in an open and entertaining 34-24 Southern Counties North success against local rivals High Wycombe.

Reading achieved the double over their Bucks’ opponents by scoring five tries to three, in stark contrast to the away game when only nine points were scored.

The Reading scrummage – which has looked very solid in recent weeks – was again to the fore, giving their backs a good supply of ball and disrupting the Wycombe possession.

As early as the first 10 minutes this dominance told as from a solid scrum No. 8 Ashley Chapman, who had a storming game, made a clean break and a good pass by Sam Bowers put full back James Mitchell in for a try.

Wycombe came back into the game and their outside half jinked through the Reading lines for a good individual try which he converted to give his team the lead.

Reading slowly got on top using Chapman, Ryan Smith and Charlie Davies to punch holes in the Wycombe defence and regained the lead when Davies broke from halfway and slipped the ball to Alex Dorliac who ran in for a try which Bowers converted.

The hosts quickly extended their lead when after multiple phases they moved the ball wide to wing Chris Greig who beat his man to score near the posts.

Bowers converted to give Reading a well-deserved 19-7 half-time lead.

Wycombe started the second half with a well-worked converted try down the narrow side from a short penalty, but Reading hit back almost at once. Again their scrum dominance told when they disrupted a Wycombe scrum close to the line and worked the ball out to Will Proctor-Searle who scored an unconverted try in the corner.

Wycombe then reduced the Reading lead with a penalty, but Bowers immediately responded for Reading to make the score 27-17.

The home side were on top at this stage, but were knocked back when a promising passing move was intercepted by one of the Wycombe centres for a breakaway try which was converted to make the score 27-24.

This led to a nervous 10 minutes for the hosts, but eventually their forward dominance told as they drove a line-out close to the Wycombe line, and the visitors had no choice but to bring it down.

The referee had no hesitation in giving a penalty try and victory was secured.