DEVIZES booked themselves a place in the Dorset & Wilts Cup semi-finals after a pulsating 23-20 triumph over North Dorset under the floodlights last Friday night.

The Saddlebacks secured a last-four home showdown with Trowbridge, to whom they lost on the opening day of the Southern Counties South season earlier this month, on October 15.

The visitors suffered an early setback when Chris Barter sustained an ankle injury that required lengthy treatment but they took the lead when Luke Rapson scored his second try in as many games, Rory Brown missing the conversion.

A Sam Baker penalty got North Dorset on the board but a second Devizes try followed as skipper Josh Gould powered over the line and Brown converted.

Baker’s second penalty ate into the lead again before Rapson made a superb tackle to prevent a Dorset score.

But in the final minute of the first half, the hosts did break through as wing Mindaugas Kazlauskas touched down and Baker’s conversion ensured Devizes started the second half in arrears.

Brown missed a couple of kicks after the interval in a closely-fought start to the half but just after the hour mark, Travis Orton jinked through the defence and, although Brown missed the conversion, he then added a penalty to make it 20-13.

Dorset responded strongly and Baker set up, then converted a try to tie the scores.

However, Devizes restarted and camped themselves inside the Dorset half and, when a penalty was awarded at the breakdown, Brown stepped up to win the game.

Elsewhere, Trowbridge ensured they will head to London Road for next month’s semi-final by ousting Marlborough from the competition 32-28 at Doric Park.

A physical opening to the match saw Trowbridge miss an early penalty but then go through the phases to score the opening converted try through Sam Edwards, James Davies with the extras.

A further penalty followed for Davies to stretch the lead into double figures but Marlborough came straight back and wing Ratu Vuira charged a clearance kick down and won the loose ball.

The ruck was won and James Farrell spun out a pass to Amori Nailago, who went through a gap and in to score under the posts, Garth Bari adding the conversion.

Farrell intercepted the next attack but was adjudged offside and the penalty was kicked by George Leat.

Despite strong visiting defence, in particular from Jack Lynd, a further Trowbridge try for Matt Howard, converted by Leat, and a penalty made it 23-7.

But Marlborough had the last word before half-time as, after a number of rucks close to the line, Farrell passed out to Nailago and he spun in the tackle to get over, Bari converting.

Early in the second half, the teams exchanged penalties before Marlborough added another to get within six points.

A key moment followed when a late tackle by Nailago resulted in a yellow card, some further backchat allowing Trowbridge to kick a further penalty through 17-year-old replacement Will Thompson and score a converted try through Adam Sullivan.

But Marlborough again hit back and Feiloaki Ngungutau was unlucky with a blindside break before Lynd went over for a consolation score.