SWINDON men’s long away trip to Exeter to take on second-placed ISCA A turned out to be a fruitless journey.

The Isambard-based side were looking to bounce-back after going down heavily in the previous week’s 10-2 defeat to table-toppers Truro.

Redemption for the struggling Wiltshire side was always going to be tough against another side vying for the Davis Wood Hockey League Championship title.

Despite a bright start Swindon they went behind after ten minutes.

A mistake by defender Tom Wickens presented Isca with a golden opportunity to score and their striker made no mistake, finishing clinically from close range.

With half-time approaching Swindon were right in the game.

They had seen chances to draw level come and go, skipper Luke Cejer notably seeing efforts scrambled away by the one the league’s best defences.

Against a period where the Swindon held a slight advantage in possesion, the away side were struck by a cruel double blow.

Almost on the stroke of half time two quick goals put the hosts 3-0 up.

The goals coming so late in the half seemed to deflate Swindon who were on the back foot for the rest of the game.

The away side came under wave upon wave of attacking pressure after the break. Alan Gough, the usually-reliable Swindon keeper, produced some off-par goal keeping and gifted the hosts two more goals mid-way through the second period.

At this point all that Swindon had to battle for was pride and the prospect of having to deal with the ignominy of back-to-back double-digit defeats.

Lewis Dyer attempted to claw Swindon back into contention.

His fiercely-struck near-post shot went close but sparked the ire of his teammates.

Had Dyer looked up he would have seen two forwards lurking unmarked at the back post waiting to turn into an unguarded net.

The opportunity summed up Swindon’s afternoon.

A further Isca goal made the scoreline 6-0 compunding Swindon’s negative goal difference swing to 14 in two games.

Swindon face Westbury this Saturday in a relegation six-pointer.

The necessity to win became all the more immediate after Westbury’s 2-1 win over Plymouth University last weekend.

Elsewhere in the Davis Wood Central second division midtable North Wilts finished at a stalemate with the club directly above them in the table, City of Bath A.

The Swindon-based club drawing 3-3 at the Dorcan Sports Centre.

A poacher’s goal from Anil Sud was not enough for Bassett’s local and divisional rivals Marlborough A who ended up losing 2-1 to Bristol UWE A.

In the West Clubs Women's Hockey Premier League Swindon lost out 1-0 to Bretforton.

Wootton Bassett won their North Division game in convincing fashion, 4-1 away at Bristol-based BAC.

In the ladies’ Wessex Division One game between North Wilts and Cirencester Seconds, the Swindon-based side ran out emphatic 4-1 winners.