FREE-SCORING Salisbury RFC laid down their play-off marker with a slender closing win at Frome.

Their last road trip ended in a convincing 24-5 outcome after a three-week lay-off to see them finish in second place, nine points clear of Sherborne, in Southern Counties South.

Salisbury ensured a fine run of 13 straight successes in the league as preparation for Saturday’s play-off cruncher with Aylesbury (3pm) could not have gone much better.

After a strong forward driving maul, scrum-half Dave Tonge dummied and skipped over for a score. Tom Pottage added the conversion into the stiff breeze.

A wind-assisted clearance from Frome saw them again camped in the visitors’ 22-metre area and, although the danger was cleared, further sloppy work again saw Salisbury put themselves under pressure. Jamie Miller raced clear following an extravagant dummy, and was under the posts. Pottage again kicked home the conversion points.

Salisbury had the winds in their backs in the second-half but Frome looked more dangerous keeping the ball in hand and running hard at the defence. Theo Daniel made a great double tackle to deny them a score. Then a Salisbury attack saw the hosts penalised and marched back for dissent, and Pottage made the kick to extend the margin to 0-17.

The hosts were rewarded for their efforts when their number eight crashed over. This served as a wake-up call to Salisbury and Gordon Grant smashed his way over for the final try, Pottage securing the points.