SWINDON College Old Boys are eyeing their first piece of silverware this year after they booked their place in the final of the 1st XV Vase with a disciplined display against Marlborough.

Despite having a couple of first team regulars missing, including fly-half Ross Saville and second row Damon Murphy, head coach Mark Lea had a squad of 49 players to chose from ahead of the semi-final clash.

In a tightly-fought contest, it was tries from the reliable Charlie Grabe and Dan Cooper that clinched a 15-3 win and set up a final against Blandford.

"Any time you get any opportunity to win a cup final it brings prestige to the club,” said director of rugby Martin Lloyd.

“We have become even more focussed in training and there is great competition among the players to make the squad for the final.

“For myself and Mark (Lea), it's about seeing the guys enjoy their rugby, which is what we are here for.”

Marlborough, who sit second in the Dorset and Wilts One North, have been scoring tries for fun so far this season, but a strong defensive performance from the College ranks ensured the visiting side failed to cross the line at all during the eighty minutes.

From the kick-off, College forced Marlborough into a series of penalties and Grabe took the opportunity to give the hosts the lead.

However, the lead was short lived, with College diving over in the ruck from the restart to give Nathan Morgan the opportunity to level the scores.

College regained the lead when Grabe beat three Marlborough defenders to dive on a grubber kick from Stuart Knight and the fly-half got the conversion.

College gave themselves some breathing room before half-time when a good scrum gave Cooper space to take on three defenders and score in the corner, but Grabe missed the conversion.

In the second half, driving rain made playing conditions difficult, and even the addition of former Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs player Chris Budgen, who now coaches Marlborough, was not enough to force a score in the second half.

"The game was won through the execution of the defensive system we have asked the boys to implement,” added Lloyd.

“The desire for every man to make a telling tackle was demonstrated by the fact that a team that have been scoring tries for fun so far this season failed to cross our line.

“As you would expect from a side that is coached by an former Premiership and England Saxons player, Marlborough were very well-drilled and organised.

“However, they could not match the desire and commitment at the breakdown shown from the College team.

“It would be unfair to highlight any individual in such an outstanding team performance."

The final against Blandford, who play in the Dorset and Wilts One South, will be played on Saturday, November 29 at Ballard’s Ash.