Four-try Luke Cador leads Melksham to another success in Dorset & Wilts One North

The home team were first on the scoreboard with a converted try following a catch and drive from a lineout.

Melksham opened their own account shortly afterwards through forwards pressure on the line, with Harry Clarke driving over to score.

The visitors soon struck again when the ball was worked out wide to Matt Van Den Boogaard, who passed back inside for Cador to cross the line.

This period of control resulted in another try before half-time as the Melksham backs combined for Rory Mulgrew to score, with Connor Randall adding the extras.

The early stages of the second half saw Cador run in to score the visitors’ bonus-point try, converted by Randall.

Chippenham rallied and scored two quick scores to climb back into the game, but Melksham’s response came swiftly and Callum Hurn put the ball into Cador’s hands and he raced away to complete his hat-trick.

Minutes later, he was at it again as Hurn added the extras, and although Chippenham had the final word with a scrambled try, Melksham’s win was never in doubt.

Elsewhere, Warminster slipped down the table after a 34-26 defeat at Avonvale.

The match did not start well for Warminster as Avonvale were first on the scoresheet when a lineout maul drove over the line with little resistance for a converted score.

Warminster drew level against the run of play when Gavin Pratt intercepted a pass to run in under the posts from halfway before adding the kick himself.

Avonvale replied with another score, but as the half went on, the Amber and Blues gained a bit more possession and were able to cause some problems out wide, which saw Tom Evans tee up Ross Williams for a try in the corner.

The difficult conversion was missed and before the half was done, Warminster conceded a third try to trail 19-12 at the break.

The second half could not have got off to a worse start when centre Dan McIntyre was sent to the sin-bin, and Avonvale soon stretched their lead with another try.

Warminster looked to get over this annoyance and hit back with a converted try from McIntyre once he had returned to the fray.

The game continued to go from end to end, with Avonvale increasing the lead further with a try courtesy of an overlap.

Another try in the closing stages ensured Warminster would at least go home with a bonus point when McIntyre went over the line again.

In the final minutes, Warminster looked to cut the gap further to gain another bonus point in a losing cause, but it was not to be as the Avonvale defence held firm.