SALISBURY travelled to Witney in Oxfordshire, a ground where they have seen some festive surprises over the years and turned in a vastly-improved performance, despite going down to a 17-10 defeat.

Witney are well established at this level and took the points at Castle Road earlier in the season.

The game followed a familiar pattern with two evenly-matched sides taking turns to try and break the line before Witney went ahead through their second row forward Matthew Webb.

Salisbury continued to plug away and when Thomas Gaffney extended the home lead, responded immediately with a try from scrum-half Sandy Wheatley.

With the match continuing to swing from end-to-end, the home side extended their lead through full-back Dominic Coe.

The Green and Whites were not giving up however and threw everything they had at the Witney line. James Kennedy and Bobby Spiers were denied before try machine Gareth Blackborow crossed the whitewash for a try and a losing bonus point.

Salisbury will be very pleased with this result on the road and will welcome Shipston-on-Stour to Castle Road on Saturday hoping to return to winning ways.