Salisbury extended their unbeaten run to 4 matches with a 17 - 16 win away to Buckingham. Salisbury are second in South West 1 East and could challenge for promotion, Buckingham are second from bottom and there was little evidence of the difference in status.

Salisbury started brightly and dominated the early exchanges. A try from Shane Johnstone was converted by Ollie Pickford to give the visitors a 7 point lead on 5 minutes. Buckingham were undeterred and reduced the deficit 2 minutes later with a penalty but momentum remained with Salisbury. Wing Ollie Linton scored and unconverted try in the 9^th minute to extend the visitors lead to 12 - 3.

Buckingham remained determined and, having weathered some early pressure, took the game to the visitors. They were strong in the centre and tested the visitor's midfield resulting in an unconverted try on 14 minutes. There was little to choose between the sides for the remainder of the half. Both defences were well organised and it became clear that the result was very much in the balance. Salisbury managed to tip the balance in their favour, however, with a second but unconverted try from Linton on the stroke of halftime.

The visitor's 17 - 8 halftime lead was far from convincing. Neither side established any dominance in the second half but a Buckingham penalty in the 62^nd minute offered a sizeable and vocal home crowd hope of an upset. The remaining 20 minutes were keenly contested and the hosts managed to break through in the last minute for a try. The conversion would have given them victory by a single point but the ball struck an upright and Salisbury escaped with the win.

Salisbury remain in a play-off position behind the league-leaders Maidenhead and will host Bletchley next Saturday.

Team: Richard Roe, Tom Pottage, Robert Larcombe, Simon Quick, Oliver Linton, Ollie Pickford, Andrew Herriott, Luke Esnouf, Dan Hobbs, Gareth Blackborow (Capt), Shane Johnstone, Robert Taylor, Jon Kay, James Kay, Nick Taylor. Subs: Rich West (on for Esnouf 60 mins), Arnie Vyas (on for James Kay 32 mins) and Charlie Jennings.

2^nd XV fortunes improve ...

The performance of the 2^nd XV in Dorset & Wilts 1 is much improved. 3 consecutive wins over Sherborne (41 - 10), Swanage & Wareham (35 - 5) and Bridport on Saturday (19 - 8) have lifted off the bottom of the table. If they continue in this form then a mid-table finish is likely.

Salisbury recorded their 3rd win on the bounce with a 67 - 0 demolition of Olney at Castle Road on Saturday. Salisbury are in fine form currently and the visitors couldn't match them for pace, fluency and creativity.

The hosts made their intentions clear within the first few minutes when Olly Linton ran from deep and evaded a number of tackles to take play within metres of Olney's line. The ball was quickly recycled for Luke Esnouf to score. Tom Pottage added another try a couple of minutes later which Ollie Pickford converted to give Salisbury a 12 point lead less than 5 minutes into the match.

Salisbury didn't have it all their own way. Olney were able to retain possession, recycle and have run at the hosts but couldn't do enough to test their miserly defence. This coupled with Salisbury's superiority in the set pieces meant that Olney were in for a very difficult afternoon. A steady flow of points followed for the remainder of the half with further tries from Olly Linton, Gareth Blackborow and Shane Johnstone. Pickford added 2 conversions kicking into a strong wind to give Salisbury a commanding 31 - 0 halftime lead.

Pottage ghosted through the visitors defence for his second try 2 minutes into the second half to put the game well beyond Olney's reach. Despite this they continued to have a crack at Salisbury; they succeeded in retaining possession for lengthy spells and contained the hosts for 20 minutes. Salisbury didn't score again until the 62^nd minute when they took a penalty quickly, moved the ball wide for Andy Herriott to score. From this point the visitors were unable to contain Salisbury any more, too often they slipped off tackles and allowed the hosts too much space in midfield. Tries for Pickford, Luke Tunabuna and a second for Linton followed in the final quarter to complete an impressive home performance.

Salisbury are now 2^nd in South West 1 East just 4 points behind the leaders Maidenhead and travel to Buckingham next Saturday.

Team: Olly Linton, Tom Pottage, Simon Quick, Rob Larcombe, Luke Tunabuna, Ollie Pickford, Charlie Jennings, Luke Esnouf, Dan Hobbs, Gareth Blackborow (Capt), Shane Johnstone, Rob Taylor, Jon Kay, James Kay, Nick Taylor. Subs: Rich West (on for Esnouf 55 mins), Arnie Vyas (on for Taylor 48 mins), Andy Herriott (on for Larcombe 47 mins).

Salisbury made it 2 wins from 2 matches so far in 2012 when they overwhelmed a below-strength Witney 38 - 0. The journey to Oxfordshire didn't affect Salisbury in anyway as they displayed control and fluency form the kick-off and throughout.

The hosts were put on the back-foot immediately by Salisbury's ability to take the ball into contact, break the gain-line and re-cycle or off-load. This, and dominance in the scrummage, provided the visitors with momentum and lengthy periods in possession. The score board ticked over as a result. Tom Pottage was in top form and scored all of Salisbury's 19 first half points with four penalties, a try and one conversion but this was by no means a solo effort. Halfbacks Ollie Pickford and Charlie Jennings combined well, the backrow spearheaded by Nick Taylor (pictured) were always busy and Luke Esnouf and Shane Johnstone made yardage. Credit must also go to Witney's determination in defence, which ensured the visitors crossed their line only once in the half.

Witney started the second half brightly and appeared undeterred by the 19 point deficit but couldn't do enough to stretch Salisbury's well organised defence. The visitors were very comfortable with ball-in-hand and used possession creatively resulting in a further 3 tries. Taylor scored in the 46^th minute after the ball was moved wide from a ruck. James Kay made a clever break on 60 minutes for Ollie Linton to employ pace and balance and continue the motion for Gareth Blackborow to score. Linton then scored in the 64^th minute after Johnstone powered through Witney's midfield. Pottage converted two of the three tries and the visitor had an unassailable 38 - 0 lead with 15 minutes remaining but neither side made any further progress.

The final stages of the match were less structure as substitutions disrupted proceedings. Witney refused to let their heads drop and challenged the visitors towards the end but still couldn't quite do enough to breach the defence. The score-line remained unchanged.

Salisbury look sharp and fresh as the final third of the season approaches and will be confident going into a home match against league strugglers Olney next Saturday.

Team: Richard Roe, Tom Pottage, Simon Quick, Luke Tunabuna, Ollie Pickford, Charlie Jennings, Luke Esnouf, Dan Hobbs, Gareth Blackborow, Shane Johnstone, Robert Taylor, Jon Kay, James Kay, Nick Taylor. Subs: Rich West, Mark Bugden and Ollie Linton.

Salisbury made the best possible start to 2012 with an emphatic 46 - 14 win over Wiltshire rivals Swindon. It was clear from kick-off that the hosts were in determined mood as they attacked purposefully; efficiently working through phases and consistently breaking the gain-line. Scrumhalf Andy Herriot was sharp and courageous all afternoon ensuring possession was fully exploited. Salisbury were also the stronger in the scrummage and troubled the visitors throughout.

It was, therefore, surprising that a sizeable home crowd had to wait for as long as 11 minutes for the first score. Luke Esnouf barged his way over to complete a forward's attack. Tom Pottage added the extras and the tone was set. Gareth Blackborow was then unlucky to lose control of the ball over the line to miss out on a certain score but the hosts then converted pressure to points with a penalty from Pottage to establish a 10 point lead in the 19^th minute. At this stage Swindon lacked coherence and couldn't get into the game. 

Salisbury scored their second try on 21 minutes after Ollie Pickford had cut through the host's defence supported by Pottage and Luke Tunabuna for Rob Larcombe score in the corner. Pottage converted to extend the lead to 17 - 0.  Swindon then enjoyed a period in possession but lacked control and were unable to stretch the hosts sufficiently to create a scoring opportunity. Shane Johnstone then added to the visitor's woes in the 30^th minute when he broke from the back of the scrum, shrugged off a number of tackles to complete a 25 metre run for the try line. Pottage added the conversion and the hosts concluded the half with a commanding 24 - 0 lead.

Salisbury put the match beyond the host's reach at 29 - 0 a few minutes into the second period when the forwards combined well to enable Pottage to complete the move and score. Play was, however, generally less structured for the remainder of the half. Swindon gained more possession but struggled to maintain momentum. Salisbury's tactical kicking was erratic and they were penalised all-to-often which prevented them from sustaining pressure resulting in a loss of direction. Despite this they still had an attacking edge; centres Larcombe and Simon Quick (pictured) combined well and tested Swindon throughout. This enabled Tunabuna to finish a fine move after the hosts stole possession on 65 minutes and moved the ball quickly.

With the score at 34 - 0 Swindon responded with a well-worked converted score on 70 minutes.  The host's response was almost immediate, Quick crashed over for a converted score and a 41 - 7 lead. The visitor's second converted try came from an interception and restored a degree of respectability but Salisbury had the last word when, in the dying minutes, they were held-up over the line. Pottage finished the move from the subsequent scrummage but failed to convert the score.

The win moves Salisbury up to third in South West 1 East and they will visit Witney next Saturday.

Team: Richard Roe, Tom Pottage, Simon Quick, Rob Larcombe, Luke Tunabuna, Ollie Pickford, Andy Herriot, Luke Esnouf, Dan Hobbs, Gareth Blackborow (Capt), Shane Johnstone, Arnie Vyas, Jon Kay, James Kay, Josh Green. Subs: Rich West (on for Hobbs), Rob Taylor (on for Green), Charlie Jenning (on for Roe).

Salisbury's return to rugby in South West 1 East was expected to be challenging but it has become clear that the 1^st XV are up to the test posed by the higher level. Head Coach Mark Bugden and assistants Derrick Phillimore and Marcus Olsen have continued at Castle Road this season and ensured that the senior squad was well prepared. High levels of fitness are evident and Mark's desire to see the 1^st XV maintain accuracy for 80 minutes is reflected in a relatively high try count and some impressive results.

A strenuous pre-season workout against Trojans resulted in a confidence building 39 -10 home win prior their league opener away to Cheltenham. The Gloucestershire outfit are amongst the strongest in the league having recently come down from National Division 3 South West and, despite the 28 - 35 loss, Salisbury had much to be positive about. The following match at home to High Wycombe enabled Salisbury to put disappointment behind them with an emphatic 49 -17 win that showed how dangerous they are with ball-in-hand. Wiltshire rivals Swindon reversed a 20 point halftime margin to defeat Salisbury 29 - 25 but this was followed by a narrow but thrilling home win over Witney, a late Rory Davis drop goal clinched a 2 point victory.

The first away win came against Olney which preceded an outstanding performance at home to Buckingham in which the visitors were crushed 52 - 6. Bletchley provided a sterner test; Salisbury trailed by 10 points at halftime but upped their game in the second to secure a 22 - 13 victory. A 4 match winning run was ended away at Marlow when Salisbury lost a physical and ill-tempered encounter 31 - 13 but then ended October positively when Swanage & Wareham were blown away by a late surge from Salisbury to score 19 points in 10 minutes to secure a very pleasing 35 - 13 home win.

Salisbury then started November with a convincing 29 - 10 Dorset & Wilts cup win over Swanage but then failed to convert pressure to points away at Maidenhead, eventually losing 12 - 11 having led until the last 10 minutes. This disappointment was erased the following week with a thrilling 33 - 17 win over the then league-leaders Coney Hill. Salisbury were courageous in defence and resisted intense pressure for much of the match but took every scoring opportunity on offer proving that they are capable of competing with the best at South West level. Bournemouth proved too strong for Salisbury in the Dorset & Wilts semi-final at Castle Road but the hosts certainly didn't let the National 3 South West side have it all their own way, often testing them but eventually lost 36 - 14.

Performances during the run-up to the Christmas break were mixed. Salisbury were stretched in a tough encounter away at Reading Abbey, leading by a single point entering the final few minutes. A late try from Luke Tunabuna secured the 28 - 22 win. A competent performance resulted in a comfortable 41 - 25 win over Reading in front of hearty pre-Christmas home support was followed a week later with an abrupt loss of form away to High Wycombe.  The hosts were eager to avenge the earlier defeat and encountered a Salisbury XV disrupted by numerous changes and unable to find any fluency resulting in a disappointing 33 - 0 loss.

Progress so far has been tough but Salisbury have a well-bonded squad which has responded well to skipper Gareth Blackborow's leadership. Gareth returned from Richmond towards the end of last season and stepped-up to Captain for this season. He has quickly established himself as strong scrummager and is clearly relishing the opportunity to lead from the front. There have been accomplished performances from fly-half Rory Davis who's tactical awareness and kicking has been first rate. Prop Luke Esnouf continues to clatter into defences and make yardage and Salisbury's back-rowers Josh Green, Jon and James Kay have all made major contributions. This has been complemented by Arnie Vyas' mobility and Shane Johnstone's physical presence in the second-row. Wings Tom Pottage and Tunabuna have also provided a sharp attacking edge.

Salisbury travelled to High Wycombe on Saturday hoping to maintain progress towards the top of South West 1 East but were soundly beaten by 33 points to nil. High Wycombe had suffered a heavy loss to the visitors earlier in the season which they were eager to avenge. They encountered a Salisbury XV disrupted by numerous changes and unable to find any fluency.

High Wycombe had the upper-hand for much of the match. Their heavy and physical pack were able to retain possession enabling them to score 3 tries and 19 unanswered points by halftime. The situation changed little in the second half as the visitors struggled to find any rhythm, often failing to complete moves and passes. Momentum remained with the hosts as they exploited Salisbury's defensive weaknesses to add 2 further converted scores to complete a well-deserved win.

Salisbury have slipped to fourth and had being playing with style, energy and tempo recently. The Christmas break will offer the opportunity to recharge their batteries and recover from this abrupt loss of form. They must be ready to resume league action at home to Wiltshire rivals Swindon on the 7^th of January.

Team: Tom Emmett, Leon Taylor, Simon Quick, Richard Roe, Luke Tunabuna, Travis Bartels, David Tonge, Richard West, Dan Hobbs, Gareth Blackborow (Capt), Shane Johnstone, Gordon Grant, Jon Kay, James Kay, Josh Green. Subs: Nick Taylor, Rob Taylor, Richard Demain-Griffiths.

Salisbury maintained their excellent start to the season by beating Reading 41-25 on Saturday. Buoyed by a large contingent of VPs, celebrating a hearty Christmas lunch, Salisbury were well  led by Gareth Blackborow and secured maximum points that included seven tries from the home side.

It was actually a fairly poor start from the home side with Reading kicking the first points to go 0-3 ahead but, this was the last time they were ahead after a tremendous opening Salisbury try from skipper Blackborow after some strong forward play. Salisbury added another try through another forward drive making the score 10-3.

Salisbury were really showing ambition even at this early stage through superb interlinking , with players looking at finding space and gaps and timing passes before tackles throughout.  This was visible in the third try for Salisbury and Esnouf (prop) showing deft hands in moving the ball to Johnstone (second row) to Blackborow (prop) who, with sublime skills, moved the ball to Vyas to a try and 15-6.

Although Reading attempted to come back into the game, Salisbury were simply too strong in defence and the aggressive double tackling from a burgeoning back row was proving to be a real success. This resolute defence quickly turned into attack on the half hour, with Green and Esnouf to the fore, and Johnstone, on a diagonal run, was pulled down just short of the line which led to an attacking lineout for Salisbury. Hobbs, returning after injury, then burrowed through setting up a sweeping move of Blackborow, Tunabuna through to Pottage who finished off in the corner making the score, after a good conversion from Davis, 22-6.

The half ended with another Pottage try who outstripped the Reading defence on a 50m sprint for the line and a 29-6 halftime score.

The second half did not provide as much excitement as the first half but Reading came back with energy and a good try following a cross kick from the fly half. This made the score 29-11 and also led to Davis leaving the pitch with, what looked like, a serious hand injury. He was replaced by the able Jennings who has stepped in and performed well at scrum half or fly half. Reading made the score 29-18 after another try and some strong scrummaging on Salisbury’s line.

After some encouraging words from coaches and skipper, Salisbury were back in the game and Esnouf secured his second try provided through another skilful and well timed pass by the maturing Hobbs. By this stage, Salisbury were dominating possession and showing patience they gained ground before Jennings launched Vyas for Salisbury’s final score and 41-18. Unfortunately Reading scored the last try of the game, and a losing bonus point, which must have disappointed the coaching staff but it was a very sound 41-25 closing scoreline.

It was a wonderful day with both the VPs and players full of spirit and it was an excellent result. With an away fixture at High Wycombe next week to reach half way and the end of 2012, Salisbury should remain in the top three which has to provide the prospect of a play-off position in April at least.

Salisbury travelled to Reading Abbey on Saturday and, after a hard-fought encounter, eventually emerged the victors by 28 - 22 to record their 8^th league win in 12 matches.

Salisbury were put under pressure for much of the first quarter. Abbey were committed and both packs appeared evenly matched. The deadlock wasn't broken until the 28^th minute when the hosts dropped a goal. However, their lead was short-lived, moments later Josh Green created an overlap for Richard Roe (pictured) to score. Rory Davis missed the conversion but Salisbury were beginning to find their rhythm. A period of attractive rugby resulted in a converted penalty from Davis to extend the lead to 8 - 3 on 38 minutes. Abbey then levelled the scores on the stroke of halftime with a well-worked but unconverted try.

The hosts started the second period brightly and scored a converted try on 45 minutes but couldn't maintain control of the match as Salisbury fought to retake the lead. Luke Tunabuna set-up Roe for his second try in the 60^th minute but Davis failed to add the extras and Abbey held onto a slender 15 - 13 lead. Fluent passing and movement resulted in the visitor's third try scored by Luke Esnouf 2 minutes later. Davis converted and Salisbury had regained the lead at 20 - 15. Tom Pottage stretched lead with a penalty with only 10 minutes remaining. Abbey were clearly not yet out of contention and scored a converted try on 72 minutes to close the deficit to a single point at 23 - 22. They continued to threaten but, fortunately for Salisbury, Tunabuna found some space to make the final score and secure the match for the visitors in the dying minutes.

The win lifts Salisbury to 3^rd in South West 1 East below Coney Hill and Cheltenham. Reading will visit Castle Road next Saturday.

Team: Richard Roe, Luke Tunabuna, Rob Larcombe, Simon Quick, Tom Pottage, Rory Davis, Andy Herriott, Richard West, Luke Esnouf, Gareth Blackborow (Capt), Shane Johnstone, Arnie Vyas, James Kay, Jon Kay, Josh Green. Subs: Mark Bugden, Gordon Grant, Charlie Jennings.

Salisbury hosted Bournemouth in an entertaining Dorset & Wilts Cup Semi-final on Saturday. Bournemouth are riding high in National 3 South West and, as expected, provided a tough contest for Salisbury who eventually lost 36 - 14.

Despite their league status, Bournemouth didn't have it all their own way. The hosts tested them from the kick-off, Rory Davis converted a well-earned penalty after only 2 minutes. But the lead was short-lived, Bournemouth were powerful and mobile up-front enabling them to maintain possession and work through the phases. This resulted in a converted score in the 7^th minute. The hosts then enjoyed a period in possession and stretched Bournemouth. The back-row of Nick Taylor, Jon Kay and Josh Green worked tirelessly in support of Salisbury's eager backs and hosts were able to close the gap to 7 - 6 with another Davis penalty on 16 minutes. This was followed 10 minutes later with a third penalty resulting in Salisbury taking the lead at 9 - 7.

Salisbury's defence was committed and well organised and this ensured they remained very much in contention. They also tested the Bournemouth's scrummage but often struggled on their own put-in. A clean strike and a responsive back-row did however ensure that the hosts secured a fair amount of ball. This and another impressive performance from Arnie Vyas in the line-out did much to help Salisbury's cause.

Bournemouth gained the upper-hand towards end of the half. Sustaining pressure and patiently working through the phases, they scored their second but unconverted try in the 32^nd minute. They were then awarded a penalty-try 5 minutes later when Salisbury collapsed the scrum as the visitors attempted a push-over. Bournemouth finished the half with a 19 - 9 lead.

Salisbury started second period brightly, scoring from an attacking line-out in the 43^rd minute. The hosts took the ball cleanly and the forwards attacked for debutant and powerhouse Jack Martin (pictured) to bully his way over for the try. The conversion was missed but Salisbury reduced the deficit to 5 points at 19 - 14.

Play was very much in the balance until the final quarter when Bournemouth began to dominate possession. They adopted a workmanlike approach and, as earlier, worked through the phases which eventually stretched the host's determined defence. The visitors slotted a penalty on 64 minutes which was followed with converted tries in the 71^st and 80^th minutes resulting in a 36 - 14 loss for Salisbury.

Salisbury can take many positives from the match. They tested higher league opposition, played with skill and purpose and look set to go from strength-to-strength. Salisbury will travel to Reading Abbey next Saturday.  

Team: Richard Roe, Tom Pottage, Rob Larcombe, Simon Quick, Luke Tunabuna, Rory Davis, Andy Herriott, Luke Esnouf, Dan Hobbs, Gareth Blackborow (Capt), Shane Johnstone, Arnie Vyas, Nick Taylor, Jon Kay, Josh Green. Subs: Rich West, Jack Martin, James Kay, Dave Salomon, Tom Emmett, Charlie Jennings.

Salisbury hosted league-leaders Coney Hill at Castle Road on Saturday and, despite being under intense pressure for much of the game, took their chances to win a highly entertaining league fixture by 33 - 17.

This was a spirited performance from Salisbury. Coney Hill were powerful up-front and well organised which enabled them to retain possession and sustain attacking pressure for much of the match. The hosts were courageous in defence and were always willing to keep valuable possession in-hand and run at the opposition. Their first score came after 7 minutes; having endured a series of attacking phases, Salisbury attacked for Josh Green to make a midfield break and present Luke Tunabuna with the try scoring opportunity. Rory Davis added the extras and Salisbury established and early 7 point lead.

The visitors then enjoyed another period in possession and put Salisbury under the cosh. Having kicked for the corner they employed the driving maul from a number of lineouts which the hosts defiantly resisted but not without cost. Dave Thorpe received a yellow card in the 15^th minute after Salisbury had persistently offended. Numerical balance was restored minutes later when Coney Hill received a card for misconduct.

Having survived intense pressure, Salisbury then extended their lead when Davis found space after a series of rucks and ghosted through the defence to sprint the remaining 20 metres to score. His conversion gave the hosts a 14 - 0 lead on 36 minutes. The lead was then cut in the final minutes of the half when Coney Hill kicked for the corner and scored a converted try from a well-executed driving maul.

Now trailing 14 - 7, Coney Hill started the second period in determined mood. Having kicked for the corner they attacked through a series of mauls to then move the ball quickly to the wing for a well-worked but unconverted try which reduced the deficit to 14 - 12. Salisbury remained alive to opportunities and took a free-kick quickly which enabled Green to score in the 63^rd minute. The hosts then extended their lead once again when they broke away from another Coney Hill onslaught. James Kay's kick ahead resulted in an attacking scrum. Salisbury attacked from this for Gareth Blackborow to barge his way over for a converted try on 75 minutes.

Despite the 26 - 12 score line it wasn't "game-over". The visitors immediately struck back with a converted score moments later. But, as the match entered the dying minutes, Salisbury had the last word. They added a converted try when Thorpe scored from a driving maul to end the match at 33 - 17 and keep Salisbury's unbeaten home record intact.

The hosts can take much from this performance. Coney Hill are clearly a high quality side and will not lose many matches this season. The win restores Salisbury to 4^th in South West 1 East and they look forward to hosting Bournemouth from National League 3 South West in the Dorset & Wilt cup semi-final next Saturday.

Team: Richard Roe, Luke Tunabuna, Robert Larcombe, Simon Quick, Leon Taylor, Rory Davis, Charlie Jennings, Luke Esnouf, Dan Hobbs, Gareth Blackborow (capt), Shane Johnstone, Dave Thorpe, Nick Taylor, Jon Kay, Josh Green. Subs: Rich West (on for Hobbs 67 mins), James Kay (on for Taylor 63 mins), Andrew Herriott (on for Jennings 55 mins).