In accepting a late request for a fixture Supermarine could hardly have expected the rugby tirade they were subjected to at the Chivers Ground in this veterans' contest.

They were outmuscled, outskilled and outplayed by a Devizes squad bolstered by the re-emergence of lock Tim Gibbs flanker Steve Pierce, junior coach Andy Fleming and other seasoned campaigners.

The first half was one way traffic with Devizes scoring seven tries at regular intervals.

A lead of 43-0 at the break didn't satisfy the Saddlebacks and Charlie Rudler, a young veteran, opened the flood gates after half time.

This was quickly followed by a try from winger, Phil O'Shea, working a scissors with fly-half John Bathe to open up a clear 20 metre channel.

Straining to cover the ground O'Shea fell over the line to the applause of the gathered crowd. Bathe converted nonchalantly.

After an in the face tackle, Paul Dyton retrieved the ball and appeared to deliberately pass forward to prevent O'Shea getting a hat trick of tries.

Using O'Shea as a decoy Bathe dummied to split the defence and score.

Centre, Ian Cook, in his surfing shorts, replaced Dyton simply to witness the sending off of Tim Gibbs for retaliating in the only feisty episode in the game.

Greying hair did nothing to reduce the zest and enjoyment for the game of rugby in which Supermarine were whitewashed.

l The first grade cup game for Devizes against Combe Down was cancelled, apparently due of pitch conditions at Combe Down.

However, both Ray Taylor and Charles Lucas (Devizes chairman) who travelled to Combe Down, unaware of the cancellation, can confirm that the pitch was in much better condition than the Chivers Ground on which the veterans played.

The second XV gallantly went down by a large margin to their counterparts from Salisbury.