SWINDON College Old Boys’ title hopes took a severe blow at the weekend when they suffered a narrow 12-8 defeat at home to Reading Abbey.

Mark Lea’s side slipped to only their second loss of the season, both coming at the hands of the unbeaten league leaders.

Despite claiming a losing bonus point College are now 13 points adrift of Reading with only two games to play and the league looks out of their reach.

The match itself was set up nicely with Reading Abbey averaging eight tries a game and 52 points and College a more modest 35 points a game.

However Mark Lea’s team had a very different look to it compared to the last time the two sides met, with nine changes, including an entirely new back row, a new fly-half, Jamie Park, and two more debutants.

It took until the 35th minute before the first point of the game was scored from the boot for the visitors, before Liam Spillane brought the scores back level at the second attempt.

But after James McLaughlin was penalised for holding from the restart Reading were able to restore their lead going into the break.

College started the second half well but two more penalties gave Reading the chance to extend the lead further as ill-discipline cost the home side.

The hosts made a last push in the dying minutes and could have stolen it. In the penultimate play captain Gareth Davies took a quick line-out freeing up Charlie Grabe to set up Park for a score, but the conversion was missed and a knock-on from the re-start ended the contest.

“This is a game we should have won,” said Lea.

“Reading are a quality team, but all three try-scoring opportunities came our way.

“This is impressive for our defence when you think that they have averaged eight tries a game this season and we kept them to just kicks.

“However, the fact we only converted one of three opportunities ourselves is something we need to get better at as we approach a tough cup game.

“Discipline was the difference. Silly penalties cost us, like back chat when we were in the ascendancy and only one score behind allowed their excellent kicker a shot at goal which put them nine points and therefore two scores ahead.

“I can’t fault the effort our lads put in, the desire was there, our defence was again exceptional and at times are backs cut Reading apart.”