DEVIZES and Combe Down were unable to be separated for the second time this season as the Saddlebacks were held to a disappointing 22-22 draw at the Southern Counties South strugglers.

The sides also drew 17-17 at London Road back in October but the visitors' hopes of a fifth successive league triumph were stalled by a poor performance.

Devizes went into a 19-5 lead at the break despite a number of handling errors, scoring from a rolling maul with John Angell coming up under a mass of bodies. Rory Brown dispatched the extras.

Number eight Craig Bryant dotted down after a number of pick and go's deep in the Down twenty two but the home side hit back with an unconverted score of their own, before a fine break from wing Lewis Dodds, saw the young Devizes ace pop the ball up to the supporting Jorge Wadman.

The home side picked away at the deficit, despite a penalty from Brown edging Devizes into a 22-5 lead.

The game become scrappy and fractured, which suited the home side and duly Devizes lost any rhythm established in the first half.

Two converted tries and a penalty levelled the contest to leave the Sadleebacks with only two points to show for their efforts.

Marlborough's fall from grace in the division continued as they suffered a 43-20 defeat at in-form Trowbridge - their fifth on the trot in the league.

The visitors made a superb start to the contest as James Clancy booted a penalty after two minutes, then converted after Jake Williams had pounced on a loose ball and fed Russ Westcott, whose pass sent Michael Sims down the wing for the try.

Trowbridge hit back with a couple of converted scores from flanker Matt Howard and number eight Adam Sullivan, both converted by Tom Weaver, to seize the lead and, with Marlborough guilty of losing the ball in contact, an interception score from James Davies, against converted by Weaver, took them further ahead.

Clancy booted a penalty but a further converted try from the hosts' George Leat took them 28-13 clear at the break.

Trowbridge added to their lead 10 minutes into the second half with a penalty from Weaver but Marlborough responded when Inosi Laqekoro forceful run found Williams in support for the try, Clancy adding the extras.

Marlborough pushed to get themselves further back into the game, but Trowbridge added a further two tries from Johnny King and Davies, who himself added one conversion, to wrap up their bonus-point triumph.