DEVIZES Ladies travelled to rivals Westbury but came home with a 34-12 defeat.

The contest was close for 20 minutes, with both teams threatening each other’s tryline. Sustained possession in Devizes territory led to a Westbury penalty, which was knocked over the posts.

Westbury then quickly followed this up with their first two tries of the game to take them out to a healthy lead.

The score could have been worse were it not for full-back Sam Hobbs, who made a string of last-ditch tackles on the way to a player of the match performance.

Devizes then hit back with a superb team try after the forwards won possession as a sparkling backs move was finished off by Sydney Sheath in the corner for her first try for the club. Warbutton missed the conversion.

With the score poised at 15-5, the game could have gone either way but Westbury capitalised on some poor defending to go in under the posts for their third try.

The score stayed the same for a lengthy period until Westbury got possession in the Devizes 22 and their much larger pack formed a maul and pushed over the line.

An individual effort by scrum-half Hannah Winkworth put some respectability on the score line when she sprinted from her own 22 and beat six defenders to dot down, with Warbutton adding the conversion.

The revival was short-lived, though, with Westbury getting a fifth try before the whistle.