Hockey: Mantell double delights Reading

Two penalty corner goals from Richard Mantell ensured Reading maintained their one-point lead in the Premier League. The defending champions beat Hampstead and Westminster 4-2 while second-placed Cannock came from behind to run out comfortable 5-2 winners at Canterbury.

Surbiton, who came unstuck in the closing minutes at Cannock in last week's 2-1 defeat, returned to winning form with a 3-0 victory over newly promoted St Albans.

Yesterday, they took a two-goal lead into the interval thanks to a diving deflection from Matt Daly and a cracking shot from Billy Waugh only to go off the boil. They were fortunate that St Albans' scoring nerve failed them after they breached the Surbiton defence several times. In the scrappy second half, Brett Garrard scored at a penalty corner.

Spare a thought for Doncaster's Stuart Boddy, who scored four times and yet finished on the losing side as Teddington grabbed a 5-4 victory.

The First Division leaders Old Loughtonians dropped their first points of the season in a 4-4 draw at Beeston.