DEVIZES scored nine tries during a 61-24 mauling of Dorchester in Southern Counties South last weekend.

The league leaders were ruthless in Dorset and have put themselves within touching distance of promotion to South West One East with four games to play and a four-point advantage over Salisbury in second.

Aiming to follow up a narrow win over Dorchester in the reverse fixture, the Saddlebacks began with two early tries from Lewis Dodds and Rory Brown - both were converted by Matt Tinker.

Dorchester were threatening with their big carriers and duly they got back into the game with an unconverted score to make it 14-5.

But almost immediately, Devizes responded with a third score as industrious flanker Scott Martin scored a well worked try to bring it to 19-5.

Luke Rapson and Sam Holloway added further scores, while Dorchester notched a converted try just before the break to result in a half-time score of 33-12.

The second half followed a similar pattern of play. Devizes were loose with their skills at times, but also utterly ruthless in attack when provided with the opportunity to play.

Holloway crossed for his second of the afternoon before scrum-half John Bramwell got in on the action prior to another Dorchester consolation try.

But Steve McCraith added the eighth Devizes try, and it was Dodds who added his team’s ninth to boost his own tally to 17 for the season.

Dorchester did manage to get a fourth try and with it a try bonus point to make it 61-24 at the death.

Elsewhere in Southern Counties South, Salisbury received a home walkover win against Corsham.

In South West One East, Trowbridge beat Sherborne by 20-5 on the same weekend as Marlborough and Chippenham tasted defeat.

Marlborough went down 67-20 away at Banbury while Chippenham lost 41-19 to Witney.

In South West Premier, Royal Wootton Bassett have given themselves a glimmer of hope of staying up after a brilliant 39-25 shock victory against Launceston.