Watts stars as Reading leapfrog Surbiton to summit

ANDY Watts' double strike saw Reading past defending champions East Grinstead and jump to the summit of the England Hockey League men's premier division.

DOUBLE TEAM: Match winner Andy Watts bursts through the East Grinstead defence as Reading jump to the top of the men's premier division (Ady Kerry / EHB)

East Grinstead struggled before the winter break, failing to win in their last four matches but after defending their indoor hockey title in January, they were in high spirits.

South African Gareth Carr led the charge for East Grinstead, equalising Watt's opener and Jonny Codling's 12th minute strike with two penalties.

But it was Watts who had the last laugh, bagging his second of the game with ten minutes left to see his team home.

Meanwhile, Surbiton, who had led the way until the winter break, slipped into second after their first defeat of the season at the University of Exeter.

Exeter's victory was their first in the top division of English hockey and came courtesy of a last minute penalty corner from Rufus McNaught-Barrington.

Ian Haley and James Royce had handed the students a two goal lead at the interval, which Nick Page extended to three with a 40th minute penalty corner.

Two goals from Surbiton captain Tim Pinnock and a third from Mike Houlihan in the space of six minutes restored parity with seven minutes left on the clock.

But McNaught-Barrington was on hand in the dying minutes to earn the Students' their first win and install some survival hopes for the second half of the season.

Brooklands MU sit four points above Exeter in ninth and had little chance of pulling away against an impressive Beeston outfit.

Andrew Monte bagged two penalty corners before Martin Jones sealed a 3-0 win with four minutes remaining.

Elsewhere, penalty corners from Jordache Rawson and Andy Cornick either side of half time gave Hampstead and Westminster a 2-0 win over Bowdon while Loughborough Students and Cannock played out a 1-1 draw in the East Midlands.