In their first home match of the season, a much-changed Reading Raiders side continued their progress in the West of England League and enjoyed a convincing win.
Swindon St George, whose senior team compete in the Southern Conference, had no answer to the attacking power of a determined Raiders squad.
Bradley Walters, who started the game at left centre and Alex French, both of whom were to put in blistering performances as proof that they have fully recovered from their long-term ACL injuries.
As the game’s stand-out player, centre turned second row Brad Thomas continues to impress with every match, through his distribution, defence-splitting charges, vigorous tackling and positional kicking.
John Boucher’s captain’s pass to an eager Brad Walters, set the scene, with second-row Ed Whelan in support, indicating that his recovery from a leg strain was now complete.
Ben Radford kicked the first of his 14 conversions of the afternoon.
A series of handling errors started to spoil the pattern of Swindon’s response as Ed Whelan’s offload to stand-off Radford, brought Raiders a six-point reward, adding the conversion to his try.
Raiders began to monopolise possession and right-winger Max Boucher’s touched down for a debut try.
Hooker Sol Robinson’s break found a gap for Brad Thomas to exploit and he set the defence reeling on his unstoppable race for the line.
Thomas, again in action, threw out a well-timed pass for Max Boucher to race in unchallenged.
Substitute Alex French was a revelation in his power play and stormed in for a try.
Luke Schofield, so far contained by the Swindon defence, from full-back, to link in on the left wing and touch down in the corner.
Schofield managed to squeeze in, despite the attention of three defenders.
A typical Brad Thomas charge down the middle brought him his second try as Swindon, tired by their heavy tackling load.
French celebrated in style, with a devastating solo run to the try line.
A brilliantly-timed John Boucher high kick put Brad Thomas in under the posts, converted easily by Radford.
Boucher’s play-making skills were further rewarded when his long pass, to the try-hungry Brad Walters, put the centre in for another score, under the sticks.
Ed Whelan was the next to take the initiative, in a high-powered undefended charge to the line.
Max Boucher then enabled French to finish off a long solo break, under the sticks.
Reading continued to apply pressure for the final 10 minutes as Robinson, impressive in open play, was able to claim a loose ball and score in the left corner.
The game finished with a final flourish for the Raiders as Brad Thomas touched down another try
to set the seal on a Reading masterclass in attacking play in a convincing win.
