DEVIZES gained revenge for their November home defeat by putting a significant dent in Swanage & Wareham's Southern Counties South title hopes with a 24-21 triumph on the south coast.

The visiting Saddlebacks were on the front foot from the off, skipper and scrum-half Rory Brown catching the home defence unawares with a quick tap penalty to run in the opening try from 30 metres and convert himself.

Swanage woke up and, after a rumbling maul into the Devizes 22, scrum-half Chris Tomes ghosted in, the conversion levelling the scores.

Swans then capitalised on a Devizes error and Tomes again ran through for a second converted score.

After withstanding a heavy barrage from the home side, Devizes' threat out wide paid off again as centre Mark Carter's superb carry set up a penalty which Brown landed to reduce the deficit.

Further strong carries from the pack allowed the visitors to camp in home territory, the ball being whipped wide for Carter to go over, Brown converting for a well-deserved 17-14 interval lead.

In the second period, Devizes took advantage of their opponents being a man light after a sin-binning, Chris Barter carrying hard and offloading to youngster Charlie Green, who went over.

Brown's conversion gave the visitors a 10-point lead but with 15 minutes to go, Swanage scored a converted try to pull to with three points.

Devizes' defence proved up to the task, leaving them seven point behind Marlborough, who they host this weekend.

Marlborough recorded a fourth straight victory as they put Bath side Combe Down to the sword 47-12.

As the first half drew to a close, player-coach Leo Tuliva scored a good individual try under the posts, Bari again converting before Semisi Rasivo broke a couple of tackles to score in the corner for a 19-12 half-time lead.

The Marlborough front row of Gareth Smith, Epeli Kotobalavu and Lemeki Moala were rewarded for their efforts when after 45 minutes when prop Smith was put into space on the 22 and scored in the corner, Bari converting.

With lineout jumpers Jamie Pittams and Sam Gouldbourn winning good ball, Pittams found himself on the wing to finish off a move that Bari converted.

Joint coach Lotu Ngungutau, who had come on as a second half replacement, picked up from the base of a ruck and drove over, Bari with the extras, then repeated the trick, James Clancy adding the final conversion.