CORSHAM took control of Dorset & Wilts One North as they emerged with a 20-3 victory from their top-of-the-table battle with Warminster.

Both sides went into the Folly Lane encounter with unblemished winning records from nine matches, but the visitors made it a perfect 10 to take a four-point lead over their rivals in the table.

Corsham coach Tim Draper said: "It was without doubt our best performance of the season so far.

"The players rose to the challenge presented by a previously undefeated Warminster team.

"The result was based on an outstanding display by the forwards at the set piece, strong defence throughout the team and an intelligent game plan in the poor conditions.''

Warminster enjoyed some early pressure and the returning Jason Sprangle gave them the lead with a penalty, but the visitors led at the interval and pulled clear in the second half.

Tries came from Ben Russell, Dan Hewitt and Liam Snape, who continued his scoring run this season. Dan Goldsworthy added a penalty and a conversion as his side dominated territorially in the second half.

Warminster had moments of hope as number eight Laisiasa Vinakadina, centre Isoa Vulagirua, second row Connor McPherson and winger James Pinnell made breaks, but they were unable to make the most of their attacking threat.

There was disappointment for Melksham, who were edged out 6-0 by Royal Wootton Bassett 2nd.

Minety also enjoyed an attritional victory as they lowered the colours of hosts Swindon 2nd 17-12.

A wet pitch and troublesome wind made flowing or expansive rugby largely impossible, but Minety dominated possession and territorial advantage in the first 20 minutes, Swindon losing a man to the sin-bin.

They eventually opened the scoring as scrum-half Garin Garland slotted a penalty and the pressure continued to tell just after the half-hour mark as, from a close-range scrum, Garland quickly flicked the ball out to fly-half Tom McAllister before centre Jack Ward split the home defence and popped the ball to full-back Adam Watt who crossed easily.

Minety lost prop Gareth Thomas to a lower back injury and McAllister’s movement was restricted by an ankle problem but Garland kicked a further penalty before the break.

Despite dominating the start of the second period, Minety were restricted to a further Garland penalty before Swindon stormed back with a converted try.

Garland landed another kick and, despite a further late Swindon try, the visitors held on.

Minety coach Richard Hall said: “I thought they played with real passion. We pressurised a really good Swindon team into making errors and capitalised on them.

"It was a great win played in dreadful conditions. All I am concerned about is our tendency to switch off for short stretches in our games. It happened again today and cost us seven points.”

Pewsey Vale needed the assured boot of fly-half James Haynes to get them over the line against Supermarine, the villagers winning 43-32 having dominated the opening half.

A high penalty count and unforced errors in the last 30 minutes nearly proved costly as both sides scored six tries, but Haynes' 13 points were crucial, the home team converting just one out of their six attempts.

Five minutes in Pewsey worked ball out to the backs and lock Karl Crosbie took the pass to storm in out wide, Haynes adding the extras.

Marine responded with their own converted score but, in an identical move to his first try, Crosbie went in for his second on the quarter hour, Haynes again adding the two points.

Supermarine responded with an unconverted score, but Vale achieved ascendency at the scrum, and on 35 minutes, walked in a pushover try from 10 metres, scrum-half Tom Regan dotting down for the converted score.

Haynes added a penalty with a minute to go to half time and, surging forward from the restart with a catch and drive, Vale went the length of the pitch as number eight Phil Vallis crossed the whitewash, the try again being converted.

At 31-12 Vale looked in control, especially when prop Jeremy Horton crashed over in the corner for a try converted by Haynes.

However, a sudden spate of penalties allowed the home team field position and two unconverted tries before Vale regrouped and another driving maul had prop Tom Baish in for a try.

Two more unconverted tries followed for Supermarine as they came up short.