Devizes dig deep to prevent Keynsham rout (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Devizes dig deep to prevent Keynsham rout

DEVIZES produced an impressive display before going down 45-17 to South West Division 1 side Keynsham in Saturday's friendly encounter.

Two leagues below their visitors, and missing their Fijian contingent, Devizes battled bravely but trailed 26-3 at the break, their points coming from a Sean O'Sullivan penalty.

Keynsham continued to hold sway, but tries from Taff Davies and Mike Thomas, both converted by O'Sullivan, gained some pride and consolation for the Saddlebacks.

DEVIZES 2nd beat Chippenham 3rd 32-3, with Ceri Moss slotting the latter's consolation penalty.

Devizes Vets outscored their Supermarine counterparts 53-12, with the tries coming from John Long (3), Ian Cooke, Pete Barter and Nick Aslett. Winger Lewis and Andy Uzzell scored for Marine, with Randall converting one.

Chippenham 2nd slipped to a narrow 40-38 defeat in a thrilling game at home to Gordano 2nd.

Chippenham, playing with a strong wind, built up what looked like an unbeatable 38-0 lead at half-time as Dave Wells crossed for a hat-trick in the first half-hour, wing Ben Gray scored his first try of the season and Keith Stoke and winger Julian Squires added further tries

But the Bristol visitors, kicking cleverly in the second half to pin the home side in their own 22, roared back in the second half to edge home by two points.