Salisbury hosted Marlborough at Castle Road this Saturday scoring 17 trys and accumulating 105 unanswered points to maintain their unbeaten league record. They stay top and 5points clear of Oldfield Old Boys with two games in hand.

It was clear within minutes that this was to be a mismatch. The host's backline looked sharp and handled accurately. Centres Simon Smith (pictured in possession) and James Sharkey were allowed to get behind the visitor's defence all too often to create space and momentum for other supporting players. Fullback Richard Roe was the first to exploit this running from deep onto a break and touched down on 2 minutes. Salisbury's pack also enjoyed a significant advantage in the scrummage which provided a platform for a mobile back-five, spearheaded by skipper Liam Gilbert, to remain on the front foot and underline the host's superiority. Points then flowed steadily, the hosts were 50 - 0 up at halftime and continued in the same vain throughout the second period.

Salisbury will be careful in drawing lessons from the match but there is no doubt that it helped restore confidence and fluency after losing to Wootton Bassett in the Vase. Rory Davis was in form at flyhalf kicking 10 conversions and distributing possession efficiently. Flankers Luke Bugden and James Kay were busy throughout resulting in 6 trys for the backrow unit. Wings Tom Pottage and Phil Carr eagerly took every opportunity to show their pace and in general, forwards and backs combined well to exploit the glut of possession. It is clear that rustiness caused by the mid-season freeze is now well behind Salisbury.

Despite the score line, Marlborough deserve credit for a number of aspects of their game. Their forwards were able to retain position and generate forward momentum through "pick `n go" and good drills at close quarters. The host's attitude the game was also positive throughout, heads never dropped and effort was sustained.

Try scorers where Richard Roe, Tom Pottage (3), Simon Smith, James Starkey, Phil Carr, Nick Taylor, Richard West, Luke Bugden, James Kay (2), Liam Gilbert (3), Gareth Blackborow and Arnie Vyas.

Salisbury travel to mid-table Trowbridge next Saturday and are likely to face a more competitive side eager to avenge the 28 - 5 defeat suffered in October.