MARLBOROUGH opened their South West One East campaign with a 19-10 victory over Frome last weekend.

The visitors began with some loose attacking play, but their defence stood up tall as they denied Frome the opening try on three separate occasions. The first half was a yellow card for Jack Lynd, but still Marlborough’s back line could not be breached.

For nearly thirty minutes, no points were put on the board, until the 29th minute when fly-half, Aaron James scored a superb individual try before going on to make the conversion.

Despite holding the lead at half-time, Marlborough conceded a converted penalty two minutes into the second period.

But they did not dwell on that disappointment for long and reacted with another try 10 minutes into the second half.

Jake Williams, Aaron James and Mac Lewis combined for outside-centre, Joe Pittams to finish a well worked try and mark his first, first-team start with a score.

Frome were in no mood to give up though and, spurred on by their large vocal home support, attacked the Marlborough line in search of another score.

But it would be the visitors who would next cross the whitewash. In the 70th minute, following a break down just outside the Frome 22, Ollie Spanswick saw space out wide on the right, threw a long pass out to Lewis, who then threw it straight on to Pittams.

Pittams drew two of Frome’s players out to the wing as Ben Caravou scored under the posts - extending the lead to 16 points as the score was converted.

Almost the last play of the game, Marlborough had a rare defensive lapse which Frome took advantage of, scoring a well-deserved try under the posts to end the game at 19-10.

Meanwhile, Chippenham lost 38-9 at home to Oxford Harlequins, and Trowbridge were hammered 63-17 away at Bracknell.

Elsewhere, Royal Wootton Bassett began their South West Premier season with a tough 32-17 defeat away at Brixham.