A LATE Salisbury rally denied Trowbridge their second win of the season in South West One East as they fell to a painful 33-29 loss at home.

Dan Jeffries’ side led 29-21 in the closing stages at Doric Park, but the visitors scored two tries without reply to mean Trowbridge had to settle for a couple of bonus points in defeat.

Head coach Jeffries said: “It has been the story of our season. We were right in it but there was a lack of concentration at key times and it sort of fell away from us.

“We only went in at half-time one point up, having probably deserved to be a bit further ahead. We just weren’t sharp enough in defence at a few key times.

“Then there was a bit of heartbreak at the end of the game, we just have to learn to take our chances.

“Every game this season that we have not won, we have been within a score or been in front. We’ve felt we are better than our results and coming away with bonus points isn’t reflective of where we feel we should be.”

Tom Weaver gave Trowbridge an early lead with a penalty but Salisbury hit back with the game’s opening try.

Wade Loftus then got the hosts’ first touchdown of the day and Lee Fairclough followed him over the whitewash shortly afterwards to finish off a good team try, with one of those converted by Weaver.

However, Salisbury put together a strong spell either side of the break and a try at the end of the first half and another early in the second put them back in front, the latter coming after Trowbridge’s Shai Bonnick was sent to the sin-bin.

Salisbury took full advantage and ran in another try, but once back to full strength, Trowbridge were soon back in the initiative and Scott Williams and Ashley Chalk both touched down, converted by Weaver.

Leading by eight points with 15 minutes to go, Trowbridge were unable to see the game out and another Salisbury try brought them back into it before the visitors completed the comeback with a fifth touchdown of the day.

Jeffries’ side still had one last chance to snatch victory but after getting within touching distance of the Salisbury line, the killer pass did not go to hand and the visitors were able to survive.

  • CORSHAM made it three wins from five league games in Southern Counties South this season with a 53-24 win at home to Dorchester.

The victory marks a strong return to form for Tim Draper’s side, having lost each of their previous two fixtures and going without a game last weekend.

They are now up to fifth in the table and are just one place below county rivals Devizes.

There was not such good news for Bradford on Avon, though, as they failed to get on the scoresheet in a 55-0 drubbing at home to high-flying Frome.

The defeat is the heaviest suffered by Bradford since their promotion from Dorset & Wilts One North last season and Dave George’s side remain at the foot of the table, having only registered two league points so far in the campaign.

Bradford travel to Grove this weekend, while Corsham are on the road at second-in-the-table Frome.