Hockey: Reading pass England test

Jon Copp, Reading's coach, was upbeat following his side's two victories over a useful England B team at the weekend as he finished off his preparations for the club's defence of their European Club Championship in Barcelona, starting on Friday week.

Jon Copp, Reading's coach, was upbeat following his side's two victories over a useful England B team at the weekend as he finished off his preparations for the club's defence of their European Club Championship in Barcelona, starting on Friday week.

One setback for Copp, however, is that his plans to play a final preparation game tomorrow against Great Britain has fallen through.

On Saturday, with Andy Watts scoring twice and a third from Richard Mantell, Reading eventually edged home 3-2 winners with James Stedman and Glen Kirkham scoring for England.

Yesterday it was a 4-1 victory for the club side with Howard Hoskin scoring twice and the defenders Jon Wyatt and Rob Todd adding to the score in the second half. Surbiton's Matt Daly beat Simon Mason along the ground at a penalty corner for England's goal.

There was a pleasing return following the injury he sustained in the European Cup last September for Jon Peckett in the engine room of the England side and an impressive display up front from James Stedman, the St Albans striker.