Salisbury have been an improving side as the season has worn on and the new coaching team have been able to impart their vision of the game to be played. There are still bumps in the road but the steady progress saw them start this match in third spot just a couple of points ahead of visitors Swanage and Wareham. The reverse fixture was a bad day at the office for the Green and Whites and there was a steely determination to settle scores about their game.

The rain clouds were away being refilled and the large crowd, who did not need any refilling, basked in the winter sunshine. The home side were purposeful from the off and applied pressure in the visitors’ twenty two metre area but, perhaps pressure to score in front of the baying masses led to some fluffing of lines. However, it only took until the tenth minute before Oliver Bate, prominent from the start, opened the doors with a delightful, delayed pass to put Fraser Wilson in for a score, Bate adding the extras himself.

The rest of the half followed much of the same pattern with Salisbury edging the game but Swans enjoyed periods of pressure but neither side was able to make any use of the underworked scoreboard operatives.

After the break the visitors seemed to have finally shaken the travel from their legs and were looking dangerous when Wilson intercepted, galloped clear and kicked ahead. A foot race ensued with the Swans cover and, with both protagonists diving at and missing the ball rolling invitingly across the in goal area, it was left to Sam Goldsmith following up on full trundle to claim the score. Bate’s metronomic boot made light work of the conversion to double the lead.

Tight head Nicholas Ardley delighted the front row forwards in attendance by burrowing over for a score for the Dorset side before the hard running Charles Becher finished off a cross field move with a direct line to touch down. Bate kicked the conversion but confusion reigned between the match official and the score board technician when it appeared that the conversion had not counted because one of the touch judges had forgotten to raise his flag. With peace restored, and Tim Gault restrained, Swans scored again this time through back row Paul Gregory but conveniently missed the conversion to keep the peace.

Mica Garvey-Ortiz made sure of the bonus point touching down for try number four after a delicate cross kick and Man of the Match Bate opted to miss the conversion but minutes later added a penalty to make the result safe following a try at the other end by Swans’ stand out winger George Crouch.

Yet another very good result from this young Salisbury side who were cheered from the pitch by the boisterous and loud squad of 2016 who had ensured promotion to National Division Three and were enjoying a reunion. Sherborne, two points clear and in second place are the next visitors to the Castle Road ground in a fortnight.

See here for an album of photos from the match.

Report: Neil Tonge
Photos: John Palmer