EIGHTEEN points from Maidenhead full-back Tom Finnie  – two tries and four conversions – was the highlight of a fine performance from the visitors as they eased past Reading RFC 38-13.

Tries also came from flanker Will Cadden, wings Scott Prince and Christophe Bart and scrum-half Perry Jansen. Reading’s tries came from Chris Greig and Rob Cunningham from a forward drive. Ray Mead also kicked a penalty.

There was no doubting the effort and commitment of the home side and Reading did, indeed, have periods when they threatened the Maidenhead line. However, the visitors had backs like Ed Keohane, Prince, Bart, Finnie and Jansen who were simply high class.

Strong, powerful and elusive runners, their passing and off-loading at speed continually kept the Reading defence stretched, for all the effort the home side put in.

They were also strong in defence and Reading worked hard for the two tries they scored.

Where the sides were relatively evenly-matched was in the scrums and line-outs, with both sides largely taking their own ball. Martin Tustin’s return to the front row helped ensure the Reading scrum held up well and Cunningham, Sean Kenneally and John Cranton took their line-out ball well.

Maidenhead made the perfect start as flanker Cadden touched down after just three minutes, Finnie converting.

The hosts came back on the offensive and, six minutes later, scrum-half Mead put over a penalty.

However, on 15 minutes a fluent Maidenhead move sent Finnie over in the corner.

Peter Czernuszka was then yellow carded for Reading, although they continued to defend stoutly.

Reading held out for the 10 minutes and came close to driving over at a line-out just before half-time.

However, Maidenhead ran the ball back from their own line and a kind bounce from a kick ahead resulted in a try for Prince, again converted by Finnie.

In the second half Maidenhead’s next try came after another backs move set Finnie free for a try, which he converted.

At 26-3 down Reading’s immediate recovery owed everything to Greig who charged down an attempted kick on half-way and raced away to score a try in the corner.

This was followed soon after by a fine individual try by Bart and, although Reading scored through Rob Cunningham, Jansen finished off the scoring with an interception try.

Maidenhead host Reading Abbey tomorrow (3pm).