CATs continue to show signs of improvement in the Southern Counties South, but the Melksham outfit are still searching for that elusive first win.

The tyremen gave as good as they got for 60 minutes against North Dorset before the visitors ran in three tries late in the second half.

It was a deflating end to an otherwise promising performance by CATs, who have lost all 14 of their league matches this season.

Director of rugby Mark Simmons is desperate to finish the campaign with at least one victory under his belt, and the former head coach is confident his players can deliver.

He said: "We were the better side against Devizes last week, but we made a few silly errors in the closing stages and they capitalised.

"On Saturday we were well in the game for the first hour against a good all-round side.

"The lads put in so much effort and they got tired towards the end. It was disappointing to concede so many points in the last quarter, but I was still fairly upbeat."

North Dorset held an 8-0 lead at half-time thanks to an unconverted try and a penalty.

Captain and scrum half John Cox brought the hosts to within three point when he rounded off a flowing team move early in the second half.

The score stayed that way until just after the hour mark, when Dorset ran in the first of three converted tries.

With games against Wootton Bassett and league leaders Walcot in the next two weeks, Simmons knows it will be a tough ask for CATs to register a maiden victory.

He said: "We're under no illusions about how difficult these two matches are going to be - we're not expecting to go out and win them by any means.

"But we want to make the opposition work for every single point. There's been a massive improvement in the last couple of matches and I want to see that continue on Saturday."