WESTBURY and Calne will face off for the Dorset & Wilts Plate in next month’s final after both emerged victorious from their semi-finals on Saturday.
While Westbury edged a tight encounter on the road at Cricklade, Calne progressed serenely into the November 12 showpiece as they administered an emphatic 54-0 thrashing to hosts Dinton.
There was little to choose between Westbury and Cricklade in the opening stages of their last-four clash, Cricklade eventually opening the scoring with a penalty at the half-hour mark.
At the restart, the visitors immediately went on the attack, with the forwards setting up a driving maul and then carrying the ball up to Cricklade’s 22.
Possession was released to the backs and with good handling skills, they shipped the ball to fly-half Aaron Vaughan, who had cleverly looped and was able to touch down in the corner for an unconverted try.
The second half started at a frenetic pace, with both sides playing good rugby, and it was again Cricklade who scored first with a second penalty to retake the lead.
Almost straightaway, Vaughan slotted a penalty of his own to snatch the lead back for the visitors.
And victory was secured in the dying moments as Westbury’s forwards moved the ball upfield in a series of rucks and rolling mauls, allowing scrum-half Nigel Kershaw to dive over the line.
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