THE pursuit of second spot in Dorset & Wilts 1 North was tightened even further on Saturday after Supermarine fell to a 26-15 defeat at Pewsey Vale.

Pewsey, who have made an astonishing rise up the league table in recent weeks, came back from 10-0 down moments before half time to register their fourth consecutive win - leaving Marine player-coach Sean Millwaters to reflect on a frustrating afternoon for the men from South Marston.

Millwaters lamented a return to former ways that saw an undisciplined side produce inconsistent form in the season’s early stages, as Pewsey were allowed time and space to force themselves back into the contest.

“Some old habits crept back into our game, and at 10-0 up just before the break we should have killed them off,” he said.

“If we’d gone into half time at 10-0 I don’t think they’d have come back, but we didn’t and there were too many little mistakes which cost us.

“In hindsight Pewsey probably deserve the win only because we didn’t really turn up at times.

“We performed pretty sporadically and it was not how we can play.”

Millwaters slotted the penalty that gave Marine three points from their first foray into Pewsey’ territory before Pete Mabbott opened the tryscoring for the visitors, breaking down the right wing to race under the posts.

Millwaters added the conversion as Marine eased into a 10-point lead, which they seemed destined to hold at the halfway stage, until the hosts hit back as the half-time whistle went.

After the interval Pewsey came out the stronger and surged into the lead, but Marine refused to lie down and hit back themselves through George Lee’s touchdown.

At 15-12 the visitors should have seen the game out, and the Pewsey pack were three times forced over their tryline only to be saved by the official’s decisions.

And the hosts made the most of their luck to steal the match in the final quarter, running in two further tries to hold out for victory.

“With things as they are at the minute, it makes things a lot harder for us,” said Millwaters on the state of the league table after Saturday’s results.

“Trowbridge did us a favour drawing with Calne, and we still have Calne and Chippenham to play, but it’s getting tight in there.

“We could and should have won at Pewsey and that would have put us right in contention for second, now as it is we’re in a dogfight to get third.”