Blues had enjoyed a successful indoor league campaign, finishing runners-up to East Grinstead with seven wins from eight games which included a 6-5 victory over Canterbury.

But it was a completely different story at Wembley Arena on Sunday – despite the fact they had strengthened their squad with the inclusion of internationals Simon Mantell, Dan Shingles and John Jackson.

Reading, also beaten semi-finalists last year, were punished for a slow start, conceding goals in the second and fifth minutes.

It became 3-0 after 15 minutes and by half-time it was 4-0 with the Sonning Lane men having no answer to the pace and incisive attacks from a side inspired by player-coach Kwan Browne.

They had to do something desperate in a bid to get back in the game and they withdrew keeper Tommy Alexander in order to play with six outfield players for the remaining 20 minutes.

Ninety seconds after the restart, Dan Shingles opened Reading’s goal account and England teammate Simon Mantell wasn’t far away from quickly adding a second.

However, they remained vulnerable in defence and were unable to prevent Canterbury adding three goals in the opening five minutes of the second half.

Tom Carson found the net to make it 7-2, only to see the Kent men net their eighth. Mantell scored Reading’s third before Browne completed his hat-trick to make it 9-3.

Late strikes from Mantell, again, and player-coach Andy Watts (2) brought a little bit more respectability to the scoreline, but at this stage of the game Canterbury were already thinking about the final. However, that was to prove a let down for them, as they crashed 5-2 to East Grinstead, who were crowned national champions for the eighth year in succession.

Reading resume their outdoor season with a trip to Beeston this Saturday (2pm).