Matt Jones today told his East Grinstead players to use their cup final heartbreak as a launchpad for greater things.

Grinstead twice led yesterday's rollercoaster HA Cup final before going down 5-3 to hosts Reading.

But team manager Jones was far from despondent afterwards, insisting: "This is just the start of things."

After taking over last summer Jones declared his intention to help re-establish the club as one of the forces of English hockey.

The first part of that has already been accomplished with Grinstead sitting comfortably in mid-table in the premier division following back-to-back promotions.

They have also won the national indoor title, qualifying for European in the process, and now they have cup final runners-up medals to go with it.

But Jones wants more, a lot more, and you would not bet against East Grinstead achieving it.

He said: "Our lack of legs showed in the last ten minutes and we saw that we don't necessarily have enough depth in the squad yet to be able to take a side of Reading's quality all the way for 70 minutes.

"But we did fantastically well. We are disappointed but we quite clearly know this is the start of things to come rather than the finish.

"We have done enormously well this season and that is testimony to all the work that has been done by the lads in the squad and the backroom staff.

"I am proud of all the people involved in getting East Grinstead this far. I think we will be lifting trophies in the not too distant future.

"We've got two medals so far this season, one gold, one silver - I am not overly keen on silver but it shows progression as much as anything else and that is immensely valuable to the club moving forward."

Grinstead made a sluggish start and were punished after just six minutes when Andy Watts cleverly deflected the ball over goalkeeper George Harris.

But Grinstead drew level from their first short corner on 24 minutes which Ashley Jackson struck low to the goalkeeper's right and this brought the game to life.

Seconds later Jackson came to his side's rescue with a great take in front of his own goal and then Grinstead went straight down the other end, with Ben Payne sending a reverse stick shot flying wide.

On the stroke of half-time Grinstead went ahead with another superbly executed Jackson short corner, the buzzer having already gone for half-time.

The game got even better in the second half as Richard Mantell drew Reading level seven minutes after the break from a well-worked short corner, then Dominic Male put Grinstead back in front, steering the ball past goalkeeper Simon Mason after Mark Pearn had drilled a free-hit into the circle.

Watts scored his second of the game on 50 minutes to make it 3-3 following a quick break, then came the game's turning point.

Umpire Andy Mair at first gave Grinstead a goal, ruling Pearn's free-hit had been touched by a team-mate in the circle, but then changed his mind after consulting fellow umpire Andrew Kennedy.

Grinstead were furious and moments later they were behind when Mantell flicked home his second short corner of the afternoon.

Reading captain Rob Todd rubbed salt into Grinstead's wounds in the closing moments, following up a rebound from another penalty corner to give his side their sixth title in 11 years.

Mantell, who delayed flying out to China to join the England squad for the World Cup qualifiers in order to play, proved to be the difference between the sides but who knows what might have happened if Grinstead's fourth goal' had stood with just over ten minutes remaining?

Jones said: "The second half bounced backwards and forwards. Then we had the disallowed goal to go 4-3 up and that was pivotal. If that had been given, the result may have been different. But I am really chuffed. That was a fantastic game to watch and truly representative of a top class English hockey final."

East Grinstead: Harris, Pearn, Trim, B. Payne, Jackson, R. Payne, Male, Justice, Ashdown, Quan Chan, Rogers. Subs: Holland, Howarth, Medcalf, Gilkes, Harms.

Goals: Watts 6, 53 (F, F), Mantell 43, 61 (PC, PC), R.Todd 68 (PC).

Reading: Mason, Brown, Mantell, Joyce R. Todd, Wyatt, Watts, Turk, Bertram, Kochar, Armitage. Subs: Springham, A. Todd, Codling, Catlin, Guthrie.

Goals: Jackson 24, 65 (PC, PC), Male 49 (F).

Short corners: Grinstead 2, Reading 4.

Yellow cards: None.

Umpires: Andrew Kennedy, Andy Mair.

Man-of-the-match: Richard Mantell (Reading).