Salisbury hosted old rivals Devizes at Castle Road on Saturday in ideal playing conditions and won by 57 - 10 to register their 13^th league win.  The hosts adopted a cautious approach during the first quarter, testing Devizes whilst maintaining control. The deadlock wasn't broken until the 24^th minute and after a period of sustained pressure when Salisbury were awarded a penalty-try for the visitor's persistent offending. Fly half Rory Davis added the extras. Devizes did however strike back immediately after the restart with a penalty but any hope of an away win soon evaporated as Salisbury took control.

Salisbury dominated the remainder of the match. Fluent running and accurate passing resulted in trys for Wings Tom Pottage and Phil Carr and second row Matt Pallas. Davis added a further conversion and the hosts completed the half 24 - 3 up. Salisbury clearly enjoyed themselves throughout the second period. Pottage and Carr received plenty of ball and were in blistering form ably supported by centres Simon Smith and James Starkey (pictured). The host's back row of Luke Bugden, James Kay and skipper Liam Gilbert were always busy and maintained the tempo of Salisbury's attack. No one more so than Gilbert, who intercepted a pass in the host's 22 to run almost the length of the field and score in the 70^th minute.

Salisbury were rewarded with 5 second-half trys and a personal tally of 23 points for Pottage. They have an impressive league points difference of 536 and have generated some momentum after a less then convincing start to the year. This is exactly what they need to carry them through if they are to remain top of Southern Counties South and secure promotion. Salisbury will host bottom club Bradford-on-Avon next Saturday.

Salisbury travelled to Wiltshire rivals Trowbridge on Saturday and, despite end-to-end winds, achieved their 12th league win and remain 5 points clear at the top of Southern Counties (South). The visitors played into the wind in the first half but didn't let the conditions limit their ambitions to play attractive running rugby. Forwards and backs combined well in the early stages but Trowbridge were alive to any errors and punished a couple a wayward passes with 2 interceptions trys inside 10 minutes. The hosts added a penalty soon after and established a 15 point lead within as many minutes.

Salisbury were undaunted. They kept the ball in hand to create two well executed trys for wing Phil Carr to reduce the deficit to 15 - 10 on 36 minutes. The visitors continued to press in the latter stages of the half resulting in a try for second row Dave Thorpe. Fly half Rory Davis added the extras and the visitors edged in front 15 - 17 on half time.

Trowbridge fought hard to regain their lead throughout the second half but were met with sturdy defence and highly effective kicking from Davis, his clearances fully exploited the wind and occasionally ran the length of the field. Salisbury put the match beyond the host's reach on the hour when, having been camped in their half for lengthy spell, they broke from a driving maul to move the ball through numerous pairs of hands and setup flanker James Kay for a try. Davis converted and Salisbury retained a 15 - 24 lead for the remainder of the match.

Salisbury will host fourth-from-bottom Devizes on Saturday in what is likely to be an interesting local derby.

Team: Richard Roe, Tom Pottage, James Starkey, Andy Herriott, Phil Carr, Rory Davis, David Tonge, Richard West, Nick Taylor, George Morgan, Dave Thorpe, Matt Pallas, Luke Bugden, James Kay, Liam Gilbert (Capt).
Subs: Gareth Blackborow, Hamish Morton and Richard Knight.

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.

Salisbury's 2nd XV dominated in a 29 - 0 victory over local rivals South Wilts RFC in Dorset & Wilts 2 South at South Wilts cricket ground on Saturday. Salisbury's 2s are enjoying a great season lying second behind Ellingham & Ringwood by only 3 points. They have all to play for as the club enters a crucial stage in their league campaign with both the 1st and 2nd XV seeking promotion.

Salisbury fielded an experienced side and remained in control for the greater part of the match. Skipper Tom Buckingham managed nine points from his kicking and there were trys for Terry Gilmour, Hamish Morton and Dave Salomon (2). Salisbury will travel to Ellingham & Ringwood next Saturday.

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.

Salisbury travelled to Bath club Oldfield Old Boys on Saturday and faced their sternest test of the season. In-form Oldfield came desperately close to ending the visitor's unbeaten run but eventually neither side could secure the win in this hotly contested match which concluded at 15 apiece.

Despite conceding a  penalty after only 4 minutes and playing into the wind, Salisbury started strongly. Skipper Liam Gilbert took the ball cleanly in an attacking lineout. Swift hands then moved the ball to left wing Phil Carr to press for the line and then feed Gilbert in support to make the score after  8 minutes. Full back Rory Davis added the extras and the visitors had established an early lead. Salisbury continued to attack the hosts, Matt Pallas (pictured receiving from Vyas) carried the ball into the midfield and wings Carr and Tom Pottage stretched them out wide. The conditions demanded commitment around the fringes and forwards Rich West, Nick Taylor and Dave Thorpe generated momentum through their effective "pick'n go" but it was clear progress going to be tough.

Oldfield were well organised and robust in defence. Their backs were sharp and fly half Brad Barnes was a highly effective goal kicker. They converted a penalty on 18 minutes and Salisbury responded shortly afterwards to maintain the lead at 6 - 10 but the momentum had swung Oldfield's way as they began to severely test the visitor's defence. Sustained pressure from the hosts resulted in them converting 3 further penalties and establishing a 15 - 10 halftime lead.

Oldfield started the second half badly with a player sin-binned for punching in the 46th minute. Salisbury regained the initiative and came close to scoring a second try but Pallas knocked-on when over the host's try line. Salisbury continued to press but lost a further scoring opportunity when they had the hosts under pressure at a 5 metre scrum only to be penalised for a crocked feed. Sustained pressure from the visitor's forwards eventually paid off, they were able to provide quality ball for winger Carr to score out wide and Salisbury drew level at 15 -15 on 56 minutes.

Oldfield were restored to a full XV as the match entered final quarter and the result remained in the balance as both sides struggled to gain an advantage. Salisbury showed promise towards the end but were unable to finish moves effectively. They can however take much from the match as they seek to regain form.

Team: Rory Davis, Phil Carr, Simon Smith, James Starkey, Tom Pottage, Ollie Pickford, David Tonge, George Morgan, Nick Taylor, Rich West, Dave Thorpe, Matt Pallas, Arnie Vyas, James Kay, Liam Gilbert (Capt). Subs: Luke Bugden (on for Morgan), Dave Salomon (on for Vyas), Andrew Herriott.

The freeze finally relinquished its grip on Salisbury's league programme to enable to them to host second place North Dorset at Castle Road on Saturday. Salisbury had played no rugby since defeating Corsham on 20th November and the lack of match practise was evident as the hosts struggled to overcome a very committed North Dorset.

Salisbury started brightly, working the phases and trying to get behind the visitor's sturdy defence. Skipper Nick Taylor (pictured securing possession) spearheaded a number of attacks and was prominent throughout but too often passes failed to go to hand and errors prevented the visitors maintaining any momentum. Salisbury were penalised just inside their own half on 19 minutes, North Dorset opted to kick for the corner and drove for the line from the subsequent lineout. They eventually released the ball for their No8, Jake Mackay to score in the corner.

Now trailing 5 - 0, the visitors continued to struggle to find their rhythm and North Dorset contained them for most of the half. However, late on Salisbury kicked for the corner and executed an outstanding driving maul bringing within them inches of the visitors line. North Dorset's defence withstood a sustained battering from the host's forwards until the ball was moved wide for centre Simon Smith to slip a slack tackle and score under the posts. Rory Davis added the extras and Salisbury finished the half 7 - 5 up.

With neither side being able exert control or sustain pressure the match remained fragmented for much of the second half. Despite this, Salisbury worked hard to make in-roads and construct attacks. Second row Matt Pallas and hooker Luke Esnouf often tested the visitors defence. North Dorset's centres were equally effective and frequently clattered into the host's midfield to create space. It was fine positional kicking from Salisbury's fly half Ollie Pickford that eventually gave Salisbury the edge. A massive clearance kick resulted in North Dorset being caught and stripped of the ball on their 22. Dave Thorpe broke and passed to James Kay to score. Rory Davis converted and the hosts stretched their lead to 14 - 5 on 67 minutes. The score remained unchanged.

Salisbury look close to regaining their fluency and remain league leaders but clearly needed a thorough workout before travelling to Oldfield Old Boys in Bath next Saturday.

Team: Richard Roe, Nigel Thomas, Simon Smith, James Starkey, Rory Davis, Ollie Pickford, David Tonge, Richard West, Luke Esnouf, George Morgan, Dave Thorpe, Matt Pallas, Arnie Vyas, James Kay and Nick Taylor (Capt). Subs: Phil Sutton, Dave Salomon and Christian Metson.

The foundations for this commanding position were laid during the Club's pre-season work. Director of Rugby, Mark Bugden and his coaching team guided a squad of over 40 players through rigorous preparation resulting in wins over Gosport & Fareham and Oakmeadians and a narrow loss to Swanage & Wareham. Salisbury then commenced league action at home to Frome and Sherborne. Neither side could match Salisbury for pace or fitness and were defeated 61 - 0 and 55 - 3 respectively. Salisbury then visited North Dorset on the last Saturday in September, they eventually overcame the highly competitive hosts 44 - 27 but were tested in all areas.

At this stage in the season Salisbury's true potential emerged. Skipper, Liam Gilbert ably spearheaded a mobile and efficient pack which supplied plenty of ball for an ambitious back line. Further victories followed throughout October. Oldfield Old Boys challenged Salisbury at home and, despite a number injuries, the hosts prevailed 44 -22. Marlborough were unable to compete and were completely outclassed losing by 83 - 0. Swindon posed a sterner test in the Dorset & Wilts Vase. Salisbury withstood a late rally to win 34 - 21 and set themselves up for an ill-tempered home encounter against Trowbridge. Like Salisbury, Trowbridge were relegated from South West 1 East and were likely compete for a promotion slot. It was, however, Salisbury who played at greater tempo in what was a rather fragmented match to win 28 - 5. Salisbury concluded October with a merciless rout of Bradford on Avon by 97 - 0.

Disappointingly only one match was played in November and none in December. Bridport were unable to field a 1st XV and Salisbury claimed the points. Corsham hosted Salisbury and led for much of the first half. They possess a strong pack and dominated the scrummage but the visitors eventually found some fluency to win 18 - 7. Severe weather affected the rest of the fixture list resulting postponements of Wotton Bassett (Vase away), Devizes (home), Dorchester (away) and Sherborne (away).

The disruption is unlikely to impede Salisbury's progress. They have a strong squad and a determination to succeed. Points machine Tom Pottage, the leagues leading points scorer, and experienced forwards James Kay and Dave Thorpe will complement emerging talents David Tonge (scrum half), Michael Daniels (prop) and Rory Davis (fly half). Ollie Pickford returns from injury and is likely to sharpen the attack, Matt Pallas will also return and add power to the srummage. So Salisbury look set resume their bid to regain their place in South West 1 East. There is however no room for complacency. They have yet to play Dorchester or Devizes and return matches against Corsham, North Dorset and Oldfield could prove to be troublesome.

Salisbury resumed their league programme after a 2 week absence away to promotion rivals Corsham. Salisbury were able to maintain their unbeaten record in this keenly contested top-of-the-table clash emerging the victors by 18 - 7. The team's league status couldn't be better at played 9, won 9 and 9 points clear at the top.

Corsham started brightly and, as expected, placed the visitors under pressure in the scrummage. Salisbury also struggled to find some fluency as kicks failed to find touch and final passes didn't find the man. Matters were made all the harder when, on 26 minutes Corsham wing Jake Goldsworthy intercepted a pass in his own 22 to run the length of the field to score. The extras were added and Salisbury were 7 - 0 down despite Corsham being a man down after a yellow carding for a high tackle. It wasn't until the 35th minute that the visitors got onto the score sheet. Skippper Liam Gilbert broke from the back of an attacking scrum to pop the ball to winger Tom Pottage who kicked ahead for Gilbert to chase and make the pick-up to score. With the conversion missed the score remained 7 - 5 in Corsham's favour at halftime.

Salisbury's lineout was functioning well but Corsham exploited their advantage in the scrum. The visitors were also guilty of kicking too much possession away. It was clear that points weren't going to flow as easily as they had earlier in the season. Salisbury gained the lead 7 minutes into the half when second row Arnie Vyas broke on the blindside, passed to prop Luke Esnouf who ran over 50 metres to score under the posts. Pottage added the extras and the visitors established a narrow 12 - 7 advantage. Salisbury then sustained some pressure on the hosts which resulted in a penalty conversion for Pottage on 61 minutes and the lead extended to 15 - 7. Corsham had the opportunity to get within a score when the visitors were penalised for a high tackle but the kick was missed and Salisbury then set about closing the hosts out. Salisbury dominated the last 10 minutes with Liam Gilbert leading from the front and were awarded a further penalty on 73 minutes. Pottage converted and, with an 18 - 7 lead going into the final stages, Salisbury had finally secured another league win.

Salisbury will travel to Wotton Bassett next Saturday in the next round of the Dorset & Wilts vase and resume league action at home to Devizes on 4th December.

Team: Phil Carr, Tom Pottage, Simon Smith, Richard Roe, Andrew White, Andrew Herriott, David Tonge, George Morgan, Luke Esnouf, Rich West, Arnie Vyas, Luke Bugden, Nick Taylor, James Kay, Liam Gilbert. Subs: Phil Sutton, Tom Ranaboldo and Dave Salomon (on for White).

Salisbury 1st XV have now gone 2 consecutive Saturdays without a game. A home league fixture versus Bridport scheduled for this Saturday was cancelled. Bridport's 1st XV was short of a front row so were unable to contest the game. They were also short of players able to travel. Salisbury have claimed the winning points to bring their tally to 40. They are 6 points clear of promotion rivals Corsham and will travel the north Wiltshire club next Saturday.

Salisbury's 2nd XV travelled to play Bridport with a development team. Both club's had agreed that, given Bridport's front row availability problems, the game could not be fully contested and played a friendly. This was a great opportunity to blood young players who clearly relished the opportunity to play at senior level. They defeated the hosts 29 - 19 with trys for Toby Cross, Pete Emmett, Chris Miller and Rich Gilbert (Capt). Jamie Pleydell-Bouverie and Craig Stocker converted the penalties. The Seconds claimed the league points and are second, 2 points behind leaders Ellingham & Ringwood, in Dorset & Wilts 2 South. The 3rd XV also recorded an impressive win, defeating Bournemouth 4th XV at home by 75 - 5. They are now 4th in Dorset & Wilts 3 South.