Mantell brothers lead a great comeback

by Patrick Rowley 3 October 2009

Cup holders Reading staged a great comeback to defeat league champions East Grinstead 5-4 in a league match at Sonning that confirmed the present high quality of English hockey.

Grinstead led 3-1 and, at times, were almost toyed with their Berkshire opponents but Reading eventually exposed their porous defence
to move into a 5-3 lead.

England’s Mantell brothers both scored twice for Reading, the South African Gareth Carr a hat-trick of corner goals for Grinstead.

Simon Mantell snatched the first goal despite stumbling. Carr then converted successive corners into the roof of the net and David de Prez was set up for a tap in for Grinstead’s third.

Reading weathered Grinstead superiority early in the second half to force a succession of corners without success. Grinstead had two good chances to seal the match.

Eventually Ric Mantell did score for Reading off the underside of the cross bar and Reading’s further goals came from Simon Watts and the two Mantells.

Grinstead’s Carr who had shot against the uprights with consecutive corners in the second half, eventually added his third too late - at an
over-time corner.

Copy for Sunday Express 4 October 2009