Reading lost for the second time this season to a well drilled and skilful Newbury team who have now moved up to third in the league.
Reading fought hard and their first half performance against a strong wind held their high-flying opponents to a 7-3 lead until just before the break.
However, they could not sustain their first half effort with Newbury ultimately crossing for four second half tries.
Newbury by a long way the best supported team in the league and shouted on by a large crowd attacked form the start but were initially let down by handling errors and kept out by good Reading defence.
Eventually the pressure told when Newbury ran back a failed Reading touch finder and after several phases crossed near the posts for a converted try.
Newbury kept the pressure up helped by the strong wind, but good Reading defence kept them out and a rare Reading attack from a clever kick forward from Taylor-Davis set up a series of attacks which ultimately led to a penalty which Carling converted for 7-3.
Good Reading defence kept the score to this despite Newbury creating a number of chances but almost on the stroke of half-time the Newbury outside half ran back some lost Reading possession to score a try which he converted himself to make the half time score 14-3.
If Reading were still in the game at half time it had all but gone soon after the break as Newbury scored two tries in quick succession.
Newbury attacked from the kick off and their relentless pressure resulted in a converted try after good support play eventually outnumbered the Reading defence.
Then from the kick off they scored again. Reading failed to deal with a kick ahead which stopped in the wind and the Newbury winger sprinted in from halfway to give them a 28-3 lead.
Reading rallied and helped by Newbury’s propensity to pick up yellow cards- at one stage two of their players were in the sin bin at the same time – they came more into the game and had a few chances deep in the Newbury 22.
They were unable to show a cutting edge to break through and Newbury held out by playing close contact rugby and depriving Reading of possession.
Towards the end of the game the Newbury forward game had the better of the Reading pack and Newbury scored a pushover try which was followed by a penalty try when an attempt at another pushover was prevented by a Reading infringement.
Reading could not be faulted for the effort they put in especially in the first half.
One bright spot for them was the introduction of colts Alex Lewis and Israel Suleman from the bench for their first team debuts.
They more than held their own and added some speed and spirit to the Reading performance. Certainly players to watch for the future.
On a different note, this was the last match for Gavin Egan who is returning to Ireland after five years.
He has been one of the first names on the team sheet and is a player who never takes a backward step both in attack and defence. He will be missed.
Next week Reading travel to unbeaten Marlborough, who have already won the league, for what will be another testing encounter.
Penalties: Carling
TEAM: Alex Dorliac (capt); Jack Carling, Tom Sharp, Stuart Borthwick, Jordan Gomez; Alex Murray-Smith, Nathan Wheeler; Harry Wilson, Steve King, Alfie Fryer; Gavin Egan, Ryan Smith; Max Pepper, Will Proctor-Searle, Joe Clarkson.
Replacements: Israel Suleman, Alex Lewis, Sam Taylor-Davis
Report by Peter Chidgey
