Salisbury travelled to Supermarine RFC to play Wootton Bassett under lights in the semi-final of Dorset & Wiltshire Vase on Wednesday night. A backlog in fixtures had forced the match into midweek for what was a home fixture for the North Wiltshire club. The hosts eventually overcame the visitors in this keenly contested cup-tie by 21 - 18 after extra time.

It was clear from the kickoff that the hosts were in determined mood. They possessed a strong scrummage and pace in midfield enabling them to test Salisbury in every aspect of the game. Both sides missed penalties during the early exchanges and despite good continuity from Bassett it was the visitors who were first to score with a penalty from Tom Pottage on 10 minutes. The hosts continued to press and clearly had the upper hand when in 15th minute their scrum pushed Salisbury off their own ball. Minutes later Bassett were unlucky not to score from a break from the base of their scrummage but then some effective tactical kicking from fly half Ollie Pickford help settle Salisbury. They drove from and attacking line out to enable skipper Liam Gilbert to break and score in the 22nd minute and Pottage's conversion attempt struck the upright. Salisbury could count themselves lucky to have extended their lead to 0 - 8.

Salisbury looked more purposeful in the second quarter. Centre Simon Smith made an excellent break in midfield to set up full back Richard Roe to score in the corner only for the host's scramble defence to force him into touch in goal. Bassett did however sustain their dominance in the scrummage preventing Salisbury securing quality possession. In the final minutes of first half momentum remained with the hosts. Wootton Bassett full back Dan Norcross ran from deep to break the visitor's line and feed support and set up a fine try. The conversion was missed and the visitors held a slender 5 - 8 lead at half time.

Wootton Bassett controlled the early second half exchanges converting a penalty on 42 minutes and then scoring from an attacking line out and driving maul in the 46th minute to establish a 15 - 8 lead. With the visitors on the back-foot Bassett kicked for the corners to contain Salisbury and were eventually rewarded with a further penalty in the 59th minute to establish a 10 point lead. The visitors sensed that the match was slipping beyond their grasp going into the final quarter and upped their game. No 8 Gilbert and scrum half David Tonge courageously secured possession from retreating scrummages and generated some forward momentum. Pottage converted a penalty on 60 minutes and a few minutes later Salisbury forwards attacked from a line out for backs and forwards to combine and enable second row Matt Pallas to power his way over for the try. Pottage added the extras and levelled the score at 18 -18.

Salisbury withstood intense pressure from the hosts in the final few minutes enduring successive 5 metre scrummages and, despite a late penalty attempt from Pottage, the score remained tied. Salisbury dominated field position during the first period of extra time but couldn't break down Bassett's stubborn defence. The hosts then took control in the second spell using their pack to maul their way close to the line. With field position secured Wootton Bassett dropped a goal in the final minutes to secure the win and a place in the final.

This was Salisbury's first defeat of the season and will provide them with plenty to work on when they return to their promotion campaign against Marlborough on of 29th January.

Team: Roe, Carr, Starkie, Smith, Pickford, Pottage, Tonge, West, Taylor, Morgan, Pallas, Thorpe, Vyas, Kay, Gilbert. Subs: Salomon, Bugden, Sutton, Herriot.