READING Hockey Club chairman Tim Mann said every effort will be made to get the ladies’ 1st XI back in the Premier Division of the Investec League, writes Dave Wright.

Their relegation was confirmed on Saturday when they lost 1-0 to league winners Surbiton at Sonning Lane.

The Blues have been at the foot of the table throughout the campaign and it is now more than a year since they last won a match.

Yet in that time they have rarely been outplayed with five of their defeats in the last seven games being by just the odd goal.

Early in the season they conceded a last-minute winner at Surbiton, and on Saturday they kept them at bay for much of the game after the visitors had scored in the third minute from a Robyn Collins penalty corner.

Mike Irving’s girls certainly caused problems for a Surbiton side who have lost only one Premier Division game in three seasons.

Blues came under a lot of pressure, but defended well with keeper Amy Gibson enjoying an outstanding game against her former club, who forced nine penalty corners during the match.

Reading went close to replying from two penalty corners, being denied by keeper Ellie Shahbo in the first half and by Beckie Middleton’s goal-line clearance midway through the second half.

Mann said: “It has been a season of playing well, but not getting the (right) results, with seemingly every possible piece of bad luck coming our way.”

He added: “We are confident of creating a positive campaign next season. The strongest teams are formed in adversity and we have the chance to create such a team in the close season.”

There are, however, likely to be a number of changes, on and off the field, before Blues begin life at Conference level after eight years in the top flight.

Their final match of this season is on Saturday (2pm) when they visit a Slough side who have avoided being involved in the relegation/promotion play-offs.

In a double header at Sonning Lane last Saturday, seventh-placed Reading Men lost 3-0 to Surbiton who are third in the table after losing only one league game.

Blues, suffering their third defeat in a row, were again missing four players due to the World League Round Two in Belfast, but the visitors were also short of several regulars.

Surbiton took the lead after 27 minutes when David Goodfield fired into the roof of the net at the left post after an excellent attacking move.

Dave Beckett doubled his side’s advantage five minutes into the second half, with Goodfield completing the scoring in the final minute.

Reading finish their league campaign on Sunday (2pm) when they travel to Loughborough Students, who are tailed off at the foot of the table after managing only one point in 17 games.

Keeper Tommy Alexander and defender Tim Atkins (pictured) will be available after helping Scotland to finish third behind winners Ireland and France in Belfast last weekend.

Scotland inflicted a 4-0 defeat on a Wales squad containing Reading duo James Carson and Jonny Gooch l SONNING Ladies sealed the Trysports Three Counties League Premier 1 title by winning 6-0 at Wycombe 2nds on Saturday. They remain unbeaten with 18 wins and three draws.

But there was disappointment for them on Sunday when they crashed 7-3 at Chichester in the semi-finals of the Investec Women’s Vase. Their goals came from Katie Pake, Lucy Faulkner and Bryony Pusey.