READING Men have bounced back to England Hockey's indoor Premier Division at the first attempt.

They won the Division One title without losing any of their eight games, the final four of which were played last weekend in Bristol.

Following their four wins a week earlier, the Blues defeated Ashmoor 5-0 in their opening game on Saturday, with all the goals coming in the second half. Ben Hooper bagged a hat-trick with Matt Richards and Gareth Furlong adding a goal apiece.

In their next game, Reading trailed at half-time to St Albans before goals from Furlong, Peter Scott and Richards sealed a 3-1 victory.

The Sonning Lane men dropped their first points on Sunday when they were held to a 3-3 draw by title rivals Bowdon.

After conceding twice inside the opening 11 minutes, Hooper pulled a goal back before half-time. He and Owain Dolan Gray both netted in the 28th minute, only for Bowdon to equalise from a penalty corner four minutes from time.

Reading, who by now had sealed promotion, also drew their final game, sharing eight goals with Beeston. Richards, Furlong (2) and Lee Morton were on target for Blues, who led 4-2 at the interval.

The draw left them top of the final standings with 20 points, three more than Bowdon, who are also promoted.

Morton finished as his side's top scorer with 10 goals, closely followed by Furlong and Richards with nine and Scott on eight.

Reading Women, playing in Nottingham, retained their place in Division One after avoiding relegation on the final day thanks to their superior goal difference over Chelmsford.

Following three defeats the previous weekend, their losing run was extended to five last Saturday. They lost 4-3 to unbeaten Surbiton, with Fran Clements netting from a penalty corner before Katie Pugh bagged a second-half brace. Former Reading ace Susie Catlin netted a hat-trick for the winners.

The Reading youngsters then went down 6-4 to Harleston Magpies despite leading 4-2 at half-time through goals from Pugh, Abbie Dixon (2) and Clements, but their relegation fears were virtually ended when they defeated Cambridge City 3-1 on Sunday.

They fell behind on the stroke of half-time to a goal from one-time Reading star and Olympic gold medallist Helen Richardson-Walsh, but Dixon equalised a minute into the second half and they went on to seal the victory with two goals in the final 10 minutes through Jess Minshull-Beech and Pugh.

Despite a hat-trick from player-coach Minshull-Beech, the Blues lost their final game 6-5 to Chelmsford with Dixon and Pugh adding a goal apiece. The latter finished as her side's top scorer with nine goals, two more than Dixon.

Reading finished third bottom in the final placings with six points, having a better goal difference than Chelmsford, who are relegated along with last-placed Gloucester City. Surbiton lifted the title with seven wins and a draw.