SALISBURY Rugby Club's promotion push goes on as they cemented their place in the South West Division Two play-offs in fine style, steamrollering High Wycombe in a display of champagne rugby at Castle Road.

Their season now comes down to a promotion decider against Division Two (West) runners-up Barnstaple.

Clinical precision characterised the first half, Salisbury putting together a series of slick passing moves before Tom Pottage crashed over for the hosts' opening try.

Salisbury's forwards were soon applying pressure close to the visitors' tryline, the ever-alert Nick Triniman peeling away and ghosting over to score.

Pottage was on target with the conversion.

The extent of the home side's dominance was exemplified by the ease with which Phil Chesters bamboozled his markers to score Salisbury's third.

He intercepted a high ball deep in his own 22 metre area and went on a textbook scything run through the entire High Wycombe defence to claim a five-pointer of the highest quality.

Pottage was again on hand to claim the extra two points.

Chesters was to the fore again, gaining possession in his own half before, this time, playing a brilliant one-two with Richard Lang, who accelerated away from all would-be tacklers to cross, Pottage converting to take the half time score to a comfortable 26-0.

After the break, Salisbury heaped yet more misery on their visitors, James Kay slipping the ball to Luke Bugden, who sprinted 20 metres to touch down.

In the 70th minute, Chesters once again linked well with Richard Lang before going in for his second try.

Dave Thorpe picked up a deserved try, Dave Bell adding the extra two points.

With the game well and truly won, only a moment's lapse of concentration allowed High Wycombe the opportunity to salvage an 80th minute consolation.

With the venue of the all-important play-off decided according to the opponents' respective records in their league and with Salisbury and Barnstaple currently boasting identical win and points tallies, the Castle Road side must wait another week to learn their fate.

The finale to their league campaign sees them host Henley Wanderers at 3pm, a game that stand-in skipper Dave Bell is anxious to win.

He said: "It's not by any means a forgone conclusion because Henley picked up a good result last week and are still battling relegation.

"We'll concentrate on that game first and hope to go into the play-off on a high, with our winning run intact."

5:42pm Thursday 17th April 2008

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