Surbiton's improved form in the elite Slazenger EHL National Premier Division came to an abrupt halt as they crashed 6-2 to championship rivals Reading at Sonning Lane on Sunday, writes Sean Cotter.

In bright sunshine for the early start, Surbiton took the lead inside two minutes, Matt Daly scoring from their first penalty corner.

But within another two minutes, Reading had been awarded their first penalty corner, from which England's set-piece marksman Richard Mantell beat Surbiton goalkeeper Jon Ebsworth low to his right.

The game swung from end to end with some scintillating hockey until the 10th minute, when James Tindall England's joint leading scorer at the World Cup, turned provider for Daly to restore Surbiton's lead.

From then on it was all Reading, as they ripped Surbiton apart with some delightful moves, forcing a second penalty corner in the 25th minute, unerringly converted by Mantell again.

Substitute forward Andy Watts then got on the end of a sweeping 26th-minute attack to make it 3-2 to the home side at the interval.

The second half was an altogether uglier affair.

Captains Mantell and John Grice, the latter from the bench, were called together early on to be read the riot act, but it made little difference in an increasingly bad-tempered match.

Jonty Clarke made it three from three for Reading's penalty corner routine in the 42nd minute to put his side two goals clear.

The home side's Peter Swainson was then controversially given only a five-minute spell on the sidelines for blocking Daly, who was running in clear on goal.

But Surbiton could not make their numerical advantage tell, failing to score from a penalty corner.

They were made to pay when Tindall and England team-mate Rob Moore were banished for the rest of the game after 65 and 68 minutes respectively.

Superb goals on the counter-attack from Watts and Clarke put a deserved gloss on the final score for Reading.

Surbiton's day was summed up when they failed to convert yet again from a fifth penalty corner taken, as rules allow, in time added on at the end of the game.

Surbiton, having slipped back to seventh in the table, three points behind joint leaders East Grinstead and Loughborough Students, face newly promoted Belper on Sunday (2pm) at Sugden Road.