Ryman League

Premier Division

Salisbury City 3 Wealdstone 1

City team: Sawyer, Jones, Andy Cook (Howes), Aaron Cook, Bond (Bartlett), Widdrington, Turk, Davis, Phillips, Tubbs (Gillespie), Lisk. Subs (not used): Matthews, Arthur. Scorers: Phillips, Tubbs, Davis. Att: 704.

THE curtain finally fell on Salisbury City's roller-coaster ride of a season, but not before they rewarded a large crowd with a handsome victory over strugglers Wealdstone, write Chris Eacott and Mike Turner.

Indeed, had the Whites not produced the goods in the final third of the campaign, it may well have been them checking the final day scores to see who stayed up instead of Saturday's visitors.

When Craig Davis scored City's third with two minutes re-maining, it meant the London-ers had to endure a nail biting finale - another goal by the hosts would have sent them down.

With Cheshunt winning 3-1 at Staines and Wealdstone losing by the same margin it meant both teams were not only level on points, but on goal difference as well.

However, as the seconds tick-ed away without too many further scares, 'Stones' survival was secured by virtue of their scoring two goals more during the season than their fellow strugglers.

It took Whites only eight minutes to get into their stride when a quickly taken free kick caught out the Wealdstone defence allowing Leigh Phillips to drill the ball past Andy Carter to register the first blow.

Desperate to get back into the game Wealdstone responded but Danny Tilbury's 20-yard volley found the side netting.

Wealdstone enjoyed their best period just past the half hour mark and were denied an equaliser when substitute Scott Bartlett cleared Dave Ryan's header off the line with his first touch of the ball since replacing the injured Tim Bond.

Just minutes later, Weald-stone again could have levelled when they were awarded a penalty.

However, Kevin Sawyer saved Richard Jolly's under-hit spot-kick comfortably.

In the second half City fully exploited the gaps starting to appear in Wealdstone's defence as they sought a way back. And on 62 minutes Matt Tubbs got on the end of a Mark Lisk through ball and slammed the ball past Carter for his tenth goal of the season.

Whites should have sewn the game up in the 80th minute when substitute Richard Gilles-pie failed to convert with only the 'keeper to beat.

The visitors got their all-important goal with seven minutes remaining when Robin Tucker back-headed a Brian Jones free kick past Sawyer.

Although Davis restored City's two-goal cushion, Weald-stone clung on to ensure they avoided the drop by the slenderest of margins.