TWO second half goals from captain Rory MacTaggart secured a 3-1 victory over Hampshire League strugglers Aldershot & Farnham at Bemerton, writes Mike Vimpany.

The Salisbury hockey first team captain, who badly bruised his right index finger in the previous week's heavy defeat at Trojans, remained at the helm to set up the city side's fourth win in six matches.

And MacTaggart was quick to pay tribute to Mark Dunn, whose superb solo goal immediately after half-time wiped out Aldershot's surprise 1-0 interval lead.

"Mark intercepted an Aldershot pass, rounded two defenders and then the goalkeeper. Sheer quality," MacTaggart claimed.

Salisbury's game improved after Dunn's moment of magic, with MacTaggart himself executing a penalty corner conversion to give his side a 2-1 lead.

But for goalkeeper Tim Green, Aldershot & Farnham might have equalised soon after.

Andy Renshaw made an uncharacteristic mistake, but Green bailed his teammate out by saving the resulting penalty stroke.

Aldershot literally paid the penalty as MacTaggart wrapped up Salisbury's win from their last short corner of the game with a second drag flick.

Two-goal hero MacTaggart added: “It was an excellent response after last week’s defeat, with some excellent flowing passing hockey to put us up to third in the league.”

Salisbury travel to Havant thirds on Saturday.