WITH injuries from the previous weekend taking a further three players from the three-quarters, Salisbury did well to hold mighty Maidenhead to a three-try difference.

Playing down the Hudsons Field slope, the visitors opened powerfully. Indeed, Salisbury didn't touch the ball until Maiden-head scored their first try from a driving maul in the fifth minute.

The home side looked shell-shocked by the speed and intensity of the opposition and the loss of hooker Joel Kenworthy through injury shortly afterwards, only added to their problems.

The league leaders enjoyed all the possession and the psychological edge and for the next 15 minutes, Salisbury failed to mount a single meaningful attacking move.

Finally the pressure told, and when Maidenhead won a scrum inside Salisbury's 22, their powerful centres crashed through to score under the posts.

Salisbury's forwards were now getting the measure of their opponents and took them on through the centre winning a penalty on the half way line.

Seizing the opportunity, Marcus Olsen tapped and ran, supported by John Penry. The stand- off sent the ball to his wing and in a flurry of bodies, lock Gareth Thomas took the final pass to score in the corner.

This settled the home side and with Olsen directing the play, Salisbury's pack reverted to eight-man rugby until replacement hooker Hamish Morton ran through a broken mid-field to link with Penry. The stand-off was high tackled on the 22 line and Don Parsons kicked the penalty to take his side into half time 17-8 down.

Salisbury kept up the pressure in the second half and the play flowed from end to end with both sides squandering scoring opportunities.

One of Salisbury's more promising attacks was stopped by another high tackle and Parsons kicked a difficult 30-yard penalty to narrow the gap to just six points.

Maidenhead restarted with a long kick into the home 22. Unfortunately, Salisbury tried to run the ball, only to lose it in the tackle and the visitors' efficient threes put their left wing over the line before the home defence could reorganise.

The title hopefuls raised their game to pour in waves of attack as many of Salisbury's heads went down.

Tackles were being noticeably missed and scrum half Olsen was having to tackle like an extra back row to stem the flood. But Maidenhead's class and superior fitness showed, producing a brace of tries in the final ten minutes to take the game out of Salisbury's reach.

On Saturday, Salisbury visit North Wiltshire rivals Chippen-ham.

Salisbury's under 14s suffered a 24-12 reverse in their Wiltshire Cup tie with Chippenham. Nick Morris and Simon Cole scored Salisbury's tries with Tim Cronin adding a conversion.

Meanwhile the club's under 16s continued their campaign to retain the Wiltshire Trophy by defeating Trowbridge.

Salisbury's Oli Pickford and Jack Barratt were in the Wiltshire under 15s line-up that beat Cornwall 10-5. Bryn Meredith, Robin Meredith and Nico Flannaghan were on the bench for the county game.