ROYAL Wotton Bassett finally got their South West One East season up and running at the weekend as they registered their first win of the campaign away at local rivals Swindon.

In a nip-and-tuck battle at Greenbridge Road, it was Bassett who took the spoils with a 29-27 success as both sides bagged try bonus points.

Swindon got off a fine start on home turf as they stormed into a 12-0 lead before Bassett’s new flying Fijian winger Jone Waqanidrola dotted down the visitors’ first score of the match.

Centre Michael Barrell also crossed the whitewash for Bassett as a Dave Hogg conversion and penalty ensured the two sides went into the break at 15-15.

Swindon regained the lead after the interval with an unconverted score before Waqanidrola bagged his second and then full-back Fin Dewar touched down, with Hogg converting both scores to hand Bassett a 29-20 lead.

The hosts managed pull a converted score back to set up a tense final 10 minutes, with both sides having further opportunities to score.

Bassett team manager George Loughlin said: “It is not very often we win at Swindon – I think that is probably the first time in 10 years.

“We have been unlucky in our last two matches, so it was good to get the win.

“It was a very close game and both teams had chances to win, it is just nice that we finally got a win under belts.

“Both teams played some really good rugby – it was a good local derby played in the right way.”

Both Bassett and Swindon are without a game this weekend and while, Loughlin is pleased it will give some of the players a chance to rest, it does prevent his team from building some momentum.

Swindon College Old Boys’ good start in Southern Counties South was brought to a shuddering halt when hosting Trowbridge.

College, who had gone into the match having toppled the early pace-setters Devizes on their own patch the previous weekend, were no match for the Doric Park side, who won 49-0 at Swanage and Wareham in their last game, as they ran out 35-0 winners.

Supermarine’s unbeaten start to the season in Dorset and Wilts One North was ended as they suffered a 38-5 home loss to Minety.