SOUTHBROOK boss Albert Dearing has banned all title talk in his dressing room as the Penhill team look to reel in Wiltshire Premier League leaders Supermarine Sports.

Southbrook overtook Shrewton United in second when they beat them 3-2 at The Recreation Ground on Saturday.

Dearing’s side are now seven points behind the league leaders but have three games in hand and a superior goal difference. It is a position that Dearing has been in before and he thinks that putting the blinkers on and refusing to discuss the title will focus his side on each game.

“We’ve got so many games to make up, we’re just plodding along each game and getting into striking distance,” said Dearing.

“We’re not talking about it at the moment and see if the opportunity arises. It’s something I said a couple of weeks ago. If we can get within a game then we’ll start discussing it again.

“It’s a better way for everybody, most of the guys were with me at Purton and been in this situation before and hopefully this year we can do it.”

The radio silence worked for Southbrook on Saturday. Billy Sly playing a key role in all three goals, scoring the second as well as assisting the first and last.

The opener was a particular delight, Sly breaking down the right to put in a deep cross for Jamie Sheppard to meet on the volley with 10 minutes of the first half remaining.

Early in the second Sly nodded in a corner to double the visitors’ lead before Shrewton pulled one back, though the build-up was controversial. A Southbrook defender was robbed of the ball and while his teammates looked for a freekick Shrewton scored with the referee unmoved by their protests.

Devon Bryan restored Southbrook’s two-goal cushion, meeting Sly’s free-kick to score what was the decisive goal. A late Shrewton penalty, coming after a decision that surprised both sides, made the final few minutes hairy for Dearing’s side but they saw it out to push their claim at the top of the table.

Supermarine Sports continued apace at the top of the league. Drawing 0-0 with Wroughton at half-time, an Adam Devine hat-trick as well as goals from Chris Allen and Keiron Jennings saw them to a 5-0 win.

Elsewhere in the Premier League Trowbridge beat Marlborough Town 2-0 away and FC Chippenham Youth drew 0-0 with Wilts Calne Town.