Reading Men can look forward to life in the Premier League after they secured promotion with an away win at Oxford Hawks.
The match started in front of a packed crowd, with the usual home supporters being augmented by a large number of Reading supporters hoping to see their team secure at least the draw that they needed to gain promotion back up to the National Premier League.
Reading’s initial dominance of possession calmed any nerves, but they failed to make an early breakthrough as chance after chance was squandered as final passes went agonisingly astray and shots were scuffed.
Reading eventually won a penalty corner and Connor Beauchamp stepped up confidently, but his fierce drag flick took a deflection onto the post and out for a long corner.
As the tension mounted, play was mostly in and around the Oxford circle, and it seemed only a matter of time before the ball would break kindly for a Reading player to open the scoring.
The lucky beneficiary was Ryan Crowe, who has been in scintillating form all season and, when the ball broke to him in space in the middle of the circle, he deceived the Oxford defence and struck a fierce reverse stick shot past the diving Oxford keeper low into the corner of the net.
There were few scares for the Reading defenders, but Chris Wyver in goal did have to make a very smart save from Oxford’s first penalty corner, nonchalantly swiping the ball away with his stick as the ball threatened to go past his shoulder into the net.
Reading quickly resumed control, and their increasingly slick passing game was rewarded when Freddie Newbold netted their second when the ball broke to him, and he directed his shot out of reach of Oxford’s despairing keeper. Scrappy goals count just as much as elegant ones.
Oxford halved the deficit when the ball ricocheted around the circle before being forced over the line by an Oxford forward.
Reading’s two goal advantage was quickly restored, and there was nothing scrappy about their third goal. After Connor Beauchamp had frustratingly been taking a breather for Reading’s second penalty corner, he was back on the pitch when they were awarded their third and he sent an unstoppable rocket past the Oxford defenders’ ears high into the net.
In a fitting finale, Tom Minall broke his mini goal drought with an emphatic finish to round off yet another slick passing move.
Oxford pulled another goal back following a defensive error in the Reading defence, but the rest of the game was played out without incident with Reading comfortably in game management mode,
The final whistle blew to allow the Reading players and coaches to start their celebrations.
