Royal Wootton Bassett coach Alan Low said a combination of improved accuracy and keeping a lid on their emotions allowed his side to cruise to a 28-5 win over local rivals Swindon on Saturday.

With Bassett up by eight at the break, Low’s troops cut out the handling errors that had blighted them in the first 40 minutes to score 15 unanswered points - completing the double over their rivals.

Bassett have moved up to third as a result of their win while fourth-placed Marlborough’s shock defeat to Beaconsfield means they are now four points behind Old Centralians – the team that Bassett will face on the penultimate weekend.

Low paid tribute to Swindon’s fighting spirit and said his players had to produce some of their best rugby to emerge victorious.

He said: “It was a tough old game. The conditions for both teams – certainly in the first half – were pretty difficult and there were a lot of handling errors from both sides.

“There was a lot more accuracy in the second half from us and we got away with a decent result in the end.

“We were certainly in a battle at half-time, but the conditions improved in the second half and the guys carried on playing, we managed to keep the tempo up in the game and we managed to pull away later on in the game.

“Swindon put up a huge fight and they didn’t play like a side near the foot of the table.

“They really put up a strong contest in all areas.”

In the build up to Saturday’s fixture, Low predicted that the side who could keep their emotions in check the best would be likely to come out on top - and so it proved.

Following some inevitable heated moments in the game, Bassett settled the better and converted some of the chances they had let pass them by in the opening period.

Low said: “We managed to control our emotions reasonably well – as always, there were a few flare-up points in a well-contested local derby, and we managed to overcome those and stay focused on the job.

“The way the guys adapted to that and saw the job through was fantastic – it was 13-5 at half-time and we had to defend hard in a number of points during the game and the guys defended well.

“It showed some energy in our defence and I’m proud of the character they showed under those conditions.

“To come out and play with the confidence they showed in the second half and to improve our accuracy – to be able to see that through was great.”

Meanwhile, the region’s other sides had mixed fortunes in their weekend matches.

Swindon College Old Boys eased any potential relegation fears with a narrow 22-20 win over North Dorset on Saturday in Southern Counties South.

The win was SCOB’s seventh of the season and moved them on to 34 points.

Meanwhile, in Dorset & Wilts One North, Supermarine were heavily beaten by fourth place Warminster 5-39 to remain winless after 14 games this season.

The result leaves them still 12 points from safety as both Pewsey Vale and Chippenham II were both beaten at the weekend.