• Make a contribution
  • Get the Print Edition
  • Sign up for our daily newsletter
Friday, July 18, 2025
  • Login
Reading Today Online
  • HOME
  • YOUR AREA
    • All
    • Caversham
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Katesgrove
    • Reading
    • Southcote & Coley
    • Tilehurst & Norcot
    • Whitley

    Reading conference showcases waste and recycling best practice

    Fire Service taking applications for new cadets for new academic year

    Reading Festival 2025: Indie artists worth catching when the festival returns this summer

    Only The Poets herald a new era with free show in Reading

    Thames Hospice announces Katherine Horler OBE as new chair of the board of trustees

    South East ranks second best region for proximity to public toilets

    Sue Ryder Starlight Hike returns this October

    Sue Ryder Starlight Hike returns this October

    Masked men armed with weapons rob store in Reading

    Reading ranks 12th best in dropping carbon emissions after 57% reduction in nearly twenty years

  • COMMUNITY
  • READING FC
  • SPORT
    • All
    • Basketball
    • Football
    • Rugby

    Reading FC in advanced talks to sign Nottingham Forest winger Josh Bowler

    Reading FC will find it tough to replicate ‘sensational’ season according to EFL pundit

    ‘We have a special season upon us’: Reading FC fans enjoy open day at Bearwood Park

    Yakou Meite teases fans over possible Reading FC return with latest social media post

    Racing star Bobby extends his championship lead with another race win

    Trialists revealed, including Wales international, as potential signings feature in Reading FC pre-season friendly

    Former Reading FC favourite to sign for Championship team

    Reading FC forward given ultimatum over future at the club

    Former Reading FC striker Andy Carroll joins new club in England after leaving France

  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
No Result
View All Result
Reading Today Online
No Result
View All Result
Home Sport

Reading RFC 27-24 Wimborne: Last gasp try sees hosts rewarded with first win

Guest Contributor by Guest Contributor
Wednesday, October 4, 2023 6:12 am
in Sport
A A
Vermont Images Ltd

Vermont Images Ltd

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A last minute try on his debut from James Hancock gave Reading their first win of the season and a reward for a gritty performance in a nail biter at Sonning Lane.

Reading had been in front for most of the game but were overhauled by a late Wimborne try which looked to have taken the spoils but Reading’s attack from the kick off stretched a tiring Wimborne defence and Hancock crossed from a ruck near the line.

The Reading team showed ten changes following the previous week’s mauling at Tottonians with the only back surviving being scrum half Jason Wheeler.

The changes seemed to have the desired effect with a spirited performance which unlike in previous weeks did not falter at the end of the game.

Reading had the advantage of the wind in the first half and an early Bowers touch-finder set up a good position near the Wimborne line from which Clarkson crossed from a driven line out for an unconverted try.

Related posts

47-year-old woman arrested after two pedestrians die in road traffic collision in Caversham

Boy, 15, left with broken jaw after being attacked by three teenagers in Reading

Police release CCTV of man in relation to assault in Reading

Man and woman jailed for GBH, fraud and robbery in Reading, including assault on a man in his 80s

Reading soon doubled their lead when Mose was first to reach a Bowers cross kick and his kick forward enabled Webster to dribble over the line to score an unconverted try.

Reading failed to capitalise on their early dominance and ill discipline meant that they surrendered possession and territory when they were in promising positions.

Wimborne slowly came into the game and scored a try in the corner from a short penalty after working an overlap.

Just before the break Reading had another period of pressure in the Wimborne 22 and were rewarded when, they ran a penalty close to the Wimborne line and after Nichol made ground, Dottson dived over a ruck to score a try which Bowers converted to give them a 17-5 half time lead.

Reading began the second half well but were unable to profit from entries into the Wimborne 22.

Wimborne then showed them how to score when following a good back move to their left wing they recycled the ball to the right where they beat the cover defence to score a converted try.

The visitors were now gaining more territory and a clever reverse pass from their number 10 opened a gap for another try on the right to make the score 17-17.

Reading to their credit came straight back from the kick off. Pallett won the ball and after strong runs from Smith and then Palfreyman the ball was worked out to Proctor-Searle on the right wing and he avoided the attentions of two defenders to score in the corner to restore Reading’s lead.

This remained the score until with five minutes to go a series of Wimborne attacks put their centre over under the posts for a converted try to give them a 22-24 lead.

Reading again responded immediately, winning a penalty from the kick off, kicking for the corner and eventually setting up the ruck from which Hancock scored the winning try.

A relieved Reading head coach, Luke Harding, praised his teams never say die attitude, and the way they came back after falling behind. He said it was important to get that first win after a difficult start to the season.

This was a much better all-round performance from Reading with James Stewart impressive on his debut in the back row as was Matt Palfreyman returning at number eight.

Reading are now off the bottom of the league courtesy of the five points earned from this match and have next week off before an away match at Farnham in a fortnight’s time.

Tries: Clarkson, Webster, Dottson, Proctor-Searle, Hancock.

Conversions: Bowers

Reading: Sam Bailey; James Hancock, Robbie Webster, Stuart Borthwick, Vincent Mose; Sam Bowers, Hayden Wheeler; Josh Pallett, Joe Dottson, Josh Nichol (capt.); Joe Clarkson, Ryan Smith; Will Proctor-Searle, James Stewart, Matt Palfreyman.

Replacements: Harry Wilson, Brandon Taplin, Blair Fraser

Report by Peter Chidgey, Pictures by John Newport

Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Tags: berksberkshirelocal newsrams rfcrdg boroughrdg newsrdgukrdguk newsreadingreading berkshirereading UK newsUK News
Previous Post

Work can start on plan for homes on site of former fire station in Tilehurst

Next Post

Reading in top 20 for house sales

FOLLOW US

POPULAR STORIES

  • 47-year-old woman arrested after two pedestrians die in road traffic collision in Caversham

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Former Reading FC striker Andy Carroll joins new club in England after leaving France

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reading FC forward given ultimatum over future at the club

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Championship club close in on signing Reading FC defender Amadou Mbengue

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Masked men armed with weapons rob store in Reading

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

RDG.Today – which is a Social Enterprise – provides Reading Borough with free, independent news coverage.

If you are able, please support our work

Click Here to Support RDG.Today

ABOUT US

Reading Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Reading. It is a Social Enterprise, existing to support the various communities in Reading Borough.

CONTACT US

news@wokinghampaper.co.uk

Reading Today Logo

Keep up to date with our daily newsletter

We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.
If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online, you should, in the first instance, contact the publication concerned, email: editor@wokingham.today, or telephone: 0118 327 2662. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220, or visit its website: www.ipso.co.uk. Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed, or need advice on how to frame a complaint.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • HOME
  • MY AREA
    • Central Reading
    • East Reading
    • Bracknell
    • Calcot
    • Caversham
    • Crowthorne
    • Earley
  • COMMUNITY
  • SPORT
    • Reading FC
    • Football
    • Rugby
    • Basketball
  • ENTERTAINMENT
    • ARTS
    • READING FESTIVAL
    • READING PRIDE
    • WOKINGHAM FESTIVAL
  • PRIDE OF READING
  • OBITUARIES
  • JOBS
  • ADVERTISE
  • CONTACT US
  • SUPPORT US
  • SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
  • WHERE TO GET THE PRINT EDITION

© 2021 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved.