Reading RFC had an early exit from the Regional Two South Shield losing to Salisbury in a match where their opponents made the best of their opportunities.
In many ways this was similar to the league game between the teams a month earlier when Reading had more of the ball and territory, but Salisbury ran out winners.
Reading gave away a try in the first five minutes when indiscipline resulted in a penalty. This gave Salisbury an attacking position from which the Salisbury number right ran through to score under the posts.
Reading did look good with the ball in the early stages and soon hit back with a move down the left where Proctor-Searle set up Joe Clarkson who beat off attempted tacklers to score an unconverted try in the corner.
In the next attack however, Salisbury won a penalty in kickable range after more Reading indiscipline. It was neatly slotted over to give the home side a 10-5 lead.
Once Salisbury broke out they were awarded a penalty which when it was moved forward ten metres for dissent they quickly took, made good ground and after several phases scored an unconverted try.
Salisbury scored two more tries before half time one of which was converted. The first was after Reading lost possession in the Salisbury 22 and the ball was moved quickly up the field through multiple hands.
The second after Salisbury ran back a goal line drop out when the Reading defence fatally did not advance quickly enough.
This gave Salisbury a 29-5 half time lead and Reading a difficult task in the second-half.
Reading went for a push-over and Alex Rowe picked up from the back of the scrum to score. Pollard converted to make the score 29-12.
A mis-controlled line out allowed Salisbury to kick through and an unlucky bounce eluded the Reading cover defence for Salisbury to regain the ball which was moved to the opposite wing for an unconverted try in the corner.
This effectively extinguished Reading’s already flickering hopes of a comeback.
Salisbury added a further try in the last couple of minutes again showing Reading how to make the most from possession close to the line to draw the curtain on Reading’s season.
Tries: Clarkson, Rowe
Conversion: Pollard
Reading RFC: Joe Pollard, Matti Palphreyman, Jos Clarke, Tom David, Jason Carr; Charlie Attard, Hayden Wheeler; Harry Wilson, Alfie Fryer, Josh Nichol (capt); Josh Pallett, Joe Clarkson; Will Proctor-Searle, Mitch Fisher, Alex Rowe.
Replacements: Joe Dottson, Harvey Rice, Greg Jackson.
By Peter Chidgey
