TROWBRIDGE pulled clear in the second half to inflict a ninth straight South West One East defeat on county rivals Devizes and finish the first half of the season in the top half of the table with a third successive win.

Playing against the wind in the first half, the Doric Park hosts played a containing game using their forwards, enjoying the upper hand in the scrums.

Devizes made progress with excellent kicking from hand by fly-half Andy Thompson, although both sides were guilty of handling errors.

The first score arrived as Trowbridge disrupted a Devizes scrum close to their own line and, when the ball squirted out, scrum-half George Leat pounced on the ball.

Rory Brown opened Devizes' account with a penalty and there was an exchange of penalties between him and Trowbridge’s Lloyd Davis before the interval, Devizes number eight Craig Bryant also being yellow-carded.

Trowbridge changed their approach in the second half and their expansive game was rewarded after breaks from Alan chadwick and Dave Finlay as James Davies went over for a try that skipper Davis converted.

Devizes almost immediately countered when right wing Chris Barter beat the Trowbridge defence and passed inside for full-back Luke Rapson to touch down, Brown’s conversion bringing their deficit back to two points.

From this point Trowbridge took control.

Davis extended their lead with a penalty and Adam Sullivan went over after an excellent move, only to be brought back for obstruction by referee Mark Lenton-Jinks.

However, Lee Fairclough, Ashley Chalk and Barry Coombs added tries, all were converted by Davis, the last being a magnificent kick from the right touchline.