WOOTTON Bassett followed up their headline-making victory against former league leaders Frome with a clinical 43-0 demolition of hosts Ivel Barbarians as Grant Murdoch scored a hat-trick.

Under pressure to maintain their title push, second-placed Bassett scored seven tries to remain just a point behind leaders Oakmedians.

The visitors were guilty of some scrappy finishing in the opening period, but still turned around 14-0 to the good, centre Dan McCarthy scoring his second try in three weeks, Duncan Fulling convering, and full-back Jon Clarke sniping over with Fulling again adding the extras.

The second half was a lot more convincing, winger Murdoch being bundled over the line by his pack before Mark Trowbridge’s trademark jinking runs took him through three attempted tackles for a stroll under the posts, Fulling again converting.

Clarke had another disallowed for a forward pass, but Bassett won the resulting scrum against the head and Fulling rounded off a scissors move to score and convert before retiring to the sidelines.

Murdoch moved to full back and twice he found himself in acres of space where he showed his pace and cantered away to complete his hat trick.

Elsewhere in Southern Counties South, missed tackles cost Minety dear as they lost 47-3 to North Dorset.

The visitors were not helped by the loss through injury of No 8 Peter Roberts and prop Craig Smith and could only muster a Jack Ward penalty in reply.

Swindon College’s problems near the foot of the Berks, Bucks & Oxon Premier mounted as they were thumped 49-5 at home by Broadmoor Staff.

In Dorset & Wilts Three North, Minety 2nd eked out an 8-0 success against their Supermarine counterparts.

James Tweedale kicked an early penalty and scrum-half Milo Hartley scored a first-half try to clinch victory.

Cirencester snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as Whitehall sneaked a 14-13 victory in the Gloucestershire Premier Division.

James Fisher’s penalty and conversion of a Mike Coleman try put them in control although they had scrum-half Gareth Barry sent to the sin-bin as Whitehall also lost a man.

The sides traded further kicks but Whitehall scored a converted try and, as Ciren’s Luke Fisher went to the bin, kicked another penalty to win the match.

WOOTTON Bassett under nines shared the honours in their two games with Devizes, winning the first 4-1 but losing the second 3-2.