CORSHAM maintained top spot in Dorset & Wilts Division One but had to come from behind to snatch a hard-earned 11-8 derby victory over neighbours Cooper-Avon Tyres.
The sides turned around scoreless at half-time in a game disrupted throughout by a number of disputable refereeing decisions.
In the first half, the Melksham hosts had a Rich Woolford drop-goal disallowed, while Corsham had scrum-half Chris Jones sin-binned for a second crooked feed.
Cooper-Avon wing Danny Wells threatened throughout with his pace, and from one run, aided by a number of missed tackles, the home side gained good ground, and from a drive close to the Corsham line, Jeremy Flower touched down.
A Woolford penalty stretched Cooper-Avon's lead, but that was to be their last joy.
Substitute Denzil Brockhurst, after an earlier miss, slotted two penalties to cut the deficit, and after a sustained spell of forward pressure, Craig Avent darted over for the decisive score.
In a grandstand finish Cooper-Avon spurned a penalty opportunity in front of the posts, but Corsham's defences held firm and scrum-half Jon Cox was denied on the line.
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