SUPERMARINE passed over the penultimate hurdle as they close in on the finishing line of the Dorset & Wilts North title race with a 34-5 home win against Devizes II.

Marine’s visitors are one of only three teams to have beaten Marine this year, coming out ahead in a narrow 7-6 victory back in September.

After the hosts weathered the first 20 minutes of Devizes pressure the South Marston side unleashed their rugby. Marine ran in two before the break and four in the second-half, Matty Dickens getting two, as well as scores for Alex Robinson, James Aston, Stuart Doughty and Macauley Reynolds - the colt whose appearance cost Marine five points for being incorrectly registered.

The win sees Marine return to top spot in the league going into Saturday’s crucial final game at Trowbridge. Marine head coach Sean Millwaters was pleased with his side’s performance.

“It was a good game, a hard game, if we didn’t get a bonus point win then that’s it, over, end of,” Millwaters told the Advertiser.

“As a performance it was good, bearing in mind that pressure, against a team that beat us earlier in the season, it would be wrong to be hypercritical.

“I think we took control, their heads went when we ran in a couple of tries. To be fair to Devizes they gave us a tough old game they’re a decent side, they’ve got a couple of good players. In the end we had the fitness and the game plan.

“That’s the semi-final done, final to go.”

Millwaters was also pleased for Reynolds, the player unfortunately placed in the middle of Marine’s points deduction.

“It wasn’t his fault in anyway shape or form. He came off the bench last week and did alright and came of the bench this week and scored a nice try, that’s first first team try.

“It was a typical forwards score, got himself on the end of four or five phases of good play and smashed through two lads to get over the line.”

Marine have recovered well from the position they were in a couple of weeks ago after the points deduction and losing to Bradford-upon-Avon at home. Though it was always possible for them to reclaim top spot Marine had to claim bonus point wins in four of their five fixtures this month. Though second-placed Bradford have beaten them twice Marine are the division’s top points scorers and boast the meanest defence.