CHIPPENHAM have all but secured second place in Regional Two Severn with a 24-12 victory over Wiltshire rivals Trowbridge last weekend.

The Allington Fields club are 10 points ahead of third-place Thornbury – having finished their league schedule – and have a 74 points-difference advantage over the Gloucestershire outfit, which has two more games to play.

Chippenham wasted little time in asserting their dominance after making their way down the A350, scoring the first try of the day through Sam Larrimore.

Trowbridge levelled the scores through an unconverted try of their own, only for the north Wiltshire side to strike back before the break. A handful of momentous carries pushed the visitors forward quickly, and a training-ground move from a lineout allowed Foti Faosiliva to cross the whitewash.

Smith added the extras to hand Chippenham a 12-5 lead as the sides changed ends.

The second half began with several turnovers from both sides as handling became a lottery in the wet and windy conditions.

Chippenham settled the contest down again with a try that heavily-featured their forward pack. Save Tuimatanisaqa, Faosiliva and Larrimore made good ground before Ryan Brown spotted a gap and crashed through the determined Trowbridge defence.

The hosts replied with a score of their own under the posts to once again cut the gap to seven, but the Allington Fields side generated the final say with a try during the dying seconds. Tuimatanisaqa carved his way through before Smith kicked the extras to dot the cherry on top of Chippenham’s cake.

Elsewhere, Royal Wootton Bassett claimed a vital 20-18 win at home to Bournemouth in Regional One South Central. Bassett are up to ninth and face a nervous wait to find out whether Brighton or Banbury can shock Camberley or Bournemouth, respectively and send the Wiltshire side down.

In Regional Two South Central, Marlborough were awarded an away walkover against Grove while Devizes lost 22-38 at home to Tottonians.