TROWBRIDGE survived a late scare at Devizes on Saturday to pick up the Dorset and Wilts Vase for the first time since 1996.

The team almost missed out on the chance to get their hands on the silverware though, as officials raced back to Dorset to collect the trophy they had forgotten to bring with them.

The race against time was won as Trowbridge started their celebrations that went on long into the night.

An early try by Lee McClurg and an accurate kicking display from Mark Kemp helped give Trowbridge a convincing 16-8 lead with only minutes remaining.

Against the run of play Swindon's Scott Chapman forced his way over the line and Nathan Waite added the conversion from the touchline to set up a nervous finish.

Trowbridge started well and were given an early chance to take the lead when the Swindon forwards were penalised for not rolling away.

Kemp missed the kick, the only blot on an otherwise faultless performance, but minutes later Trowbridge did break the deadlock.

They were camped in the Swindon half and after a couple of strong forward drives, good interplay between flanker Jamie Little and inside half Paul Hanlon allowed lock McClurg to burst over the line for the first try.

Kemp converted to give his side a deserved 7-0 lead after only six minutes.

Swindon, a division lower than Trowbridge in the league structure, fought back though and began to enjoy a lot of the possession.

A golden chance to pull a try back was spurned on 10 minutes when, after a strong run by Paul Wakefield, the ball was passed along the back line to Steve Davis but with the try line beckoning the prop dropped the ball and the chance was gone.

Three minutes later Trowbridge were penalised for off side and Chapman made no mistake in kicking Swindon's first points of the game.

Swindon's pack was having the best of the scrums and managed to win the ball against the head a couple of times in the first half.

Some strong Trowbridge defending and ill discipline by Swindon ensured Trowbridge kept their noses in front and on 28 minutes Kemp converted another penalty for his side.

Minutes later Swindon pulled themselves right back into the game when young fly half Connel Knott made a break on the half way line, dummied his way past two opponents before touching down for a fine individual score. The conversion was missed by Chapman.

Another Kemp penalty, as the Swindon pack were caught holding onto the ball, gave Trowbridge a 13-8 lead half time lead although Swindon will regret further missed penalties by Chapman and Waite.

After the break it was all one-way traffic as Trowbridge began to show the gulf in class between the two sides.

Kemp went close to extending the lead with a chip and run that Swindon just managed to scramble clear.

Swindon were then reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes when Richard Lowe was sinbinned and a minute later Graham Morrison's drop goal put Trowbridge 16-8 in front.

With a minute left Trowbridge's Matt Dudman and Swindon's James Courtney were sin binned for a scuffle and from the resulting penalty Swindon gave themselves a lifeline.

Chapman forced his way over the line and Waite added the conversion but it was too little too late as Trowbridge held on to the deserved win.