DEVIZES produced an emphatic 9-3 defeat of Firebrands to move six points clear at the top of Davis Wood League Central One as the season entered its winter break.

Devizes were positive from the pushback and went 1-0 to the good courtesy of a Tom Alsop drag flick.

This gave Devizes the momentum and despite solid defending from Firebrands, the Wiltshire side added another as Ollie Smith was felled by the opposition keeper.

Alsop dispatched the flick and quickly added two more tap-ins from the back post.

Firebrands were quick on the counter attack and managed to pull one back before half time.

The second half proved once again to be a fast-flowing game with plenty of goals.

Devizes added more through Mike Greenman and Josh Bond while the Devizes penalty corner routine was also working smoothly.

Roger Edwards dispatched two and Alsop another as Devizes cruised home.

Chippenham closed the first half of their Central One campaign with a 3-2 defeat at Westbury and UB A.

The visitors suffered a blow when Chris Instone left the field injured, leaving them down to the bare XI and three first-half goals left Westbury in control.

Strong words from skipper Andrew Edwards and coach Widger had the desired effect as Simon Walker, Ben Jones and James Grantham combined for Widger to pull one back.

Mark Knight added a second and, with time running out, Luke Morris had a shot cleared off the line.

Marlborough faced their second top two sides in successive weeks, having pushed Conference North leaders City of Bath the previous Saturday, but went down 4-1 to second-placed county rivals West Wilts.

West Wilts started the more dominant of the two sides and their slick ball movement at high tempo caused Marlborough problems.

Both teams adjusted their strategy and it paid off for the visitors, who opened the scoring when Mark Brothers drove into the D and smashed into the top corner.

With half time quickly approaching Marlborough desperately tried to get back in to the game and were awarded a short corner after some intricate build-up play.

The resulting play, drawn up by player-coach Matt Way, resulted in the equaliser, Way himself blasting the ball in from a tight angle.

The second half began with Wilts once again reasserting themselves and they soon began to dominate proceedings.

Brian Marnane was kept busy in goal and denied Wilts several chances to regain the lead before Callum Wolff slotted home a reverse-stick strike and Ben Creedy created a chance for James Baker to make it 3-1.

Marlborough tried to fight back but Wolff added a fourth for the Warminster men.

Wootton Bassett romped into the Christmas break as they hammered hosts City of Bath C 12-0 to maintain their six-point advantage.

Bassett boast a 100 per cent record and an astonishing goal difference of +83 and took the lead through Mark Turner’s penalty flick after Kyle Barnes’ goalbound shot was stopped by a foot.

The lead was doubled when Barnes’ shot from a penalty corner was deflected into the goal by Matt Daniell and Dan Stanley added the third.

Bassett came out all guns blazing in the second half, Jake Nunns beating three defenders and flicking the ball over the keeper.

Barnes made it five when he burst into the circle, dummied a shot and calmly slotted the ball home before Turner played in Mark Skivington to add the sixth goal.

Man of the match Nunns made it seven, Tom Ponting, Jack Twine and Daniell, twice, also netted before Barnes completed the rout.

Devizes B go into the break in second in East Central Two after a 3-0 win over Yate B.

Sam Hodge gave Devizes an early lead when he deflected a firmly-struck ball past the goalkeeper.

Jack Gompels then unleashed a fierce shot from the edge of the D which Nick Sherman deflected into the bottom corner before Gompels and Hodge combined to wrap up the result before half time.

Wootton Bassett B were beaten 3-1 at North Wilts A, Martyn Holmes with the only goal.

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