TROWBRIDGE continue to keep pace with the top two in Southern Counties South following their narrow 25-20 win over Sherborne.

A late try from Adam Sullivan, adding to his opener in the first half, secured the win and kept the Doric Park side within four points of Swanage & Wareham in second place, and seven points back from leaders Wimborne.

Dan Jeffries side had a narrow 11-10 lead at the break, courtesy of Tom Weaver’s boot, but the visitors were out of the blocks quickly and soon established a 20-11 lead.

With 20 minutes left on the clock, substitute Shane Johnstone crashed over the whitewash, before Sullivan’s second secured the victory.

“Sherborne are a bit of a bogey side for us. They’re young and they get around the park well, so they are quite difficult to break down,” said Jeffries.

“We started well, stuck to how we knew we could take them on and actually, the first 20 minutes went almost perfectly to plan.

“In the tight play, we had them and we were really taking advantage of that well.

“Straight from the start of the second half, they scored a converted try and we were suddenly under a wedge of pressure.

“That was quickly followed up by another penalty from them and with 20 minutes left, we were nine points down and that was probably what we needed to refocus us.

“As of that point, our forwards took control of the game.

“It was a very professional performance. We got caught in the middle of the game trying to play their game a little bit and were throwing the ball about a bit too much, but we came good in the end.

“In the scenario we are in, where the boys are very aware that a lost game probably takes us out of promotion contention, there was a point where we would panic and fold or we would rise to the challenge and our forwards, in particular, really rose to the challenge.”

While the first team take a well-earned rest this weekend, the second team will be facing Dorchester in the Dorset & Wilts Plate and Jeffries is happy to see them have their moment to shine, having provided much-needed depth to his side in times of need.

“This weekend, all we have got on is the second team cup final against Dorchester, which will be a big day for the club and all the first team will be there to support them,” he added.

“It’s going to be a rest weekend for the first team because we can’t afford to pick up any injuries, with Wimborne looming.

“In two weeks, we face Frome and that will all be about focus and getting the job done, knowing that Frome is a local derby and they will turn up and be very competitive.”