East Grinstead will enter the new year chasing honours on four fronts.

Sunday's thrilling cup defeat of holders Reading has sent the club into the winter break in the best possible frame of mind.  It means the possibility of a league and cup double is not out of the question.  Indoors, meanwhile, the club begin their defence of the national title in January while they will also represent England in the European Championships in Brussels in February.

Reading visited Saint Hill on Sunday as leaders of the premier division, having beaten East Grinstead in last year's cup final.  But the hosts showed immense character to fight back from 2-0 down before winning on penalties to book a quarter-final tie away to Canterbury in March.  Victory also set down a marker for the league as Grinstead resume premiership action at home to Reading, who are heading five clubs separated by two points at the top of the table, on January 28.

Before then the national indoor championships take place and, while the indoor and outdoor teams are separate in certain ways, manager Matt Jones admitted confidence at the club is brimming, particularly as it comes on top of East Grinstead pipping Sussex County Cricket Club to the BBC South East sports club of the year award.

Jones said: "We are riding on a high at the moment and it is a fantastic feeling. It shows our award was fully justified.  Our main focus has always been the league and our primary objective is to compete for a top four place.  But this is a fantastic way to finish the 2006 outdoor season, having dispatched last year's cup winners, beating them for the second time this season."

Spirits were not so high after 25 minutes on Sunday as Reading led 2-0 against a Grinstead side who had failed to muster a serious threat on goal.  But suddenly Grinstead found the 'on' switch. They snapped into gear, scored three minutes either side of half-time to level the scores and could perhaps should have gone on to win the game before the penalties stage.

Austin Smith and Simon Lanyon were the marksmen as the visitors scored from each of their first two short corners and they could have been further ahead but for the efforts of home goalkeeper George Harris.

Ashley Jackson reduced the deficit on 32 minutes with a super strike from Grinstead's second short corner and he almost levelled 30 seconds later when Grinstead quickly regained possession, Jackson ran through and rounded the keeper but Jon Brown made a great back stick tackle to deny him.

Three minutes after the restart Jackson, Mark Pearn and Ben Payne were involved in a sweeping move which ended with Dave de Prez slotting the ball home for 2-2 and that set the pattern for the half.  Although Reading remained a threat going forward, it was Grinstead in control with Darren Cheesman and Jackson becoming increasingly influential as the game wore on.

New England international Jackson sent a short corner wide in the dying seconds of normal time and also failed to convert the best chance of the 15-minute golden goal extra time.  It came down to penalties and the home side looked confident. As Reading prepared themselves, Grinstead's five penalty takers cracked a joke between themselves. Then, you knew there would only be one outcome.

De Prez, Ben Payne and Mark Justice all converted while man-of-the-match Harris saved superbly from England internationals Clarke and Andy Todd to make it 3-1 with three penalties apiece taken. Up stepped captain Richard Payne to sink the winning penalty and spark jubilant scenes among the home supporters.

Payne is Grinstead's longest serving player and his moment of glory was fitting.