ROYAL Wootton Bassett continued the process of turning their South West One East season on its head by claiming a third straight victory with a 30-20 success at Wimborne.

Having lost their opening five games of the campaign, the Ballards Ash men have bounced back emphatically, following up wins over local rivals Swindon and Stratford-Upon-Avon with their latest success.

The visitors deservedly led 13-0 at half-time and despite a Wimborne revival and long injury delay, with debutant wing Sam Davies injured in a tackle, eventually secured the four points.

Team boss George Loughlin said: “Potentially this was the best performance so far as we had to draft in a number of squad players in the back division and Wimborne possessed a really decent side.

“The best news of the day was that winger Sam Davies, after a precautionary check-up, was given the all clear.

Despite a late arrival in Dorset, Bassett started well, pounding the hosts’ line before settling for a penalty from second row Dave Hogg.

The good opening phase continued as back row Gavin Ougan seized on a spilled pass to sprint 50 metres for the first try before number eight Kyle Lovell powered over.

The game was delayed for 20 minutes by Davies’ injury and restarted on an adjacent pitch while waiting for an ambulance and Bassett wobbled slightly at the start of the second half.

Fly-half Ieuan Clements was adjudged to have deliberately knocked on and was sin-binned, Wimborne getting on the board with a penalty and try to more than halve the deficit.

The visitors appeared to have settled matters as centre Elye Darragh crossed under the posts and Hogg converted with 15 minutes to play.

But Wimborne struck back with a converted try of their own before Bassett’s hooker Filipe Kapedemai was yellow-carded for a ruck offence.

The excellent Clements settled matters with five minutes remaining with a calm drop goal before Darragh’s scything break and pass sent fellow centre Michael Barrell under the posts for Hogg to convert.

Bassett lost Phil Bardwell and Samuel Robinson to yellow cards in the final two minutes, allowing Wimborne a late consolation score.

Swindon are now without a win in six matches after they slipped to a 36-7 defeat at mid-table Witney, Neil Maycock scoring the visitors’ solitary try, converted by Cameron Brown.

Swindon College Old Boys director of rugby Martin Lloyd praised opponent Walcot for their quick reactions after front row Declan Lebrosse suffered a neck injury in his side’s 24-17 win in Southern Counties South.

Lebrasse lost consciousness after a scrum collapse, but was later cleared of serious injury after a check-up as two tries from debutant scrum-half Owain Hire and scores from Bobby Tilling and Joe Smedley, plus conversions from fly-half Connor Tomley and Florin Palcau secured the win.

“Walcot knew straightaway what had happened and they were calling for the game to be stopped, so we’re very grateful to them for that,’’ said Lloyd.

“Declan is okay now. We were really quite worried there at one point, but he’s been cleared.’’ It was a bad day for Supermarine, who were walloped 94-5 at unbeaten Warminster in Dorset & Wilts One North.