Rajan Shukla bagged a brace of goals to bring back Southgates second win of the season as Huw Steven’s players put in their best performance of the season.
Reading had been performing well this season under seasoned coach Todd Williams- with wins against Cardiff, Beeston and Brooklands not to mention a very good 1-1 draw against League challengers Hampstead & Westminster – a win on Saturday night would have seen them as prime contenders for a feted top 6 spot in the Premier Division table.
Southgate meanwhile came into the side needing a result to sure up their prospects in the league following a 0-3 loss to Wimbledon and with the final two games against league leaders Surbiton and a tough H&W outfit. It was in no small way a season defining game.
Yet from the opening whistle it was John Sterlini and his players who set the tone, with chances coming early doors for Dan West and James Hickson challenging Chris Wyver in the Reading goal.
Southgate’s James Hickson. Reading v Southgate – EH Men’s Premier Division at Sonning Lane, Reading, Berks, UK on 08 November 2025.
Photo by Simon Parker/SP Action Images
It wasn’t all one way traffic – far from it, Reading looked dangerous moving forwards with good chances of their own – their 14th minute PC was well taken by Jamie Rawlings putting the ball hard into the right hand corner and giving the home supporters some early cheer.
Yet the goal galvanised the away support contingent sat on the left hand side of the pitch and soon the sound filling the dark Berkshire skies was that of Southgate support and the energy spilled surely out onto the pitch – the game looked hard to call as Q1 bled to Q2 but one thing was spotted from the car park which was the arrival of a rare Kiwi running at full pace, in full kit towards the pitch.
That rare Kiwi was none other than Xavier Guy who had been rescued by ‘gate Physio Darcy Wyn-Jones from a stranger than fiction event which saw this key player locked within his own home and unable to break out and thus missing the whole first half.
The energy of that 16th player no doubt helped spur on the team and James Hickson stepped up to convert a PC within 3 minutes of the start of Q3. From that moment on- the visitors had the edge, Sterlini and Gandhi expertly distributing the ball and pulling the Reading press around the pitch as they pushed the ball north into Reading territory. Chances came in quick succesion – but Reading proved no push over and countered with PC’s which were expertly run down or saved by the Gatekeepers on PCD duty and some fine saves from Demir in the Gate goal.
The crowd were up now on both sides, Southgate outnumbered by not outcheered as every pass and every tackle given vocal approval. So it passed that Shukla on the 45th minute danced into the D and launched a shot from the left hand side that seemed for a moment to suspend itself in the air like a moth in the flame or Icarus at the zenith of his ambition and at that moment the ball inexplicably caught a deflection and looped serenely and with easy contentment over the top of Wyver and into the top netting. Confusion gave way to ecstasy as Southgate supporters lost voices in loud roaring.
What followed was some of the best hockey played by the Southgate team all season, with the midfield helping control the game thanks to the efforts of Richard Swan and Max Hendry to name but two. Robbie Gill meanwhile flung himself around the pitch like a cowboys whip cracking into tackles with precision and total commitments denying Reading’s attempts to counter. Barney Blithel also looked increasingly assured who with Charles Hamilton and Nat Farrant enjoyed strong carries into the Reading 25 and beyond.
Statistically Reading managed just two shots on target in the 2nd half to Southgate’s 5 and one of those one fell also to a sublime move in the 60th minute ultimately finished with aplomb by Shukla to seal his brace and give Gate a commanding 2 goal upholstered cushion with 10 minutes to play.
Reading to their credit stayed calm and continued to work opportunities including a corner in the 63rd minute which ultimately sailed inches over Demir’s goal. But Southgate showed maturity to the end and worked the ball into corners, held possession and made it nigh on impossible for Reading to exert real pressure denying them the opportunities they needed to close the score line.
Umpire Harry Collinson blew the final whistle releasing a wave of jumping and some hugging from the Southgate support celebrating a memorable game, played in great spirit and against a well drilled outfit- the fact that Southgate dominated in such a way for swathes of the game is testament to how far the team has come in the short time they have been together and bodes well for the rest of the season.
All eyes now turn on league leaders Surbiton who arrive on Saturday after a midweek game against Wimbledon. The odds look stacked against Sterlini and his player- yet on the basis of Saturday performance – Gate supporters could well expect the unexpected. Be sure to get yourselves a balcony or pitch side view of what could be the match of the year.
Reading v Southgate – EH Men’s Premier Division at Sonning Lane, Reading, Berks, UK on 08 November 2025.
Photo by Simon Parker/SP Action Images