DEVIZES used this friendly to experiment with their back line and gain revenge for an earlier defeat.

They achieved the latter but an unfamiliar three-quarter line, with Sean O'Sullivan on the wing and Tom Collins in the centre, didn't function in attack as smoothly as the selectors might have wished.

Alex Bennet, at fly-half, brought some authority and a safe boot to the play although he occasionally indulged in unrehearsed and therefore risky attacking moves.

Except for perhaps half a dozen occasions Devizes were largely confined to their own half in the first 40 minutes by Westbury's barnstorming forwards. Sound defence and good line-out work by Tim Alchin and Mike Walsh upset the Westbury rhythm. Number eight Nav made sure that any ball won, with the scrum in retreat, was picked up and carried forward.

Westbury unexpectedly dropped a ball in midfield and flanker Mike McCrum made an incisive break before executing a perfect scissors with winger Rich Casselden. He outpaced the defence to score under the posts. Alex Bennett added the points to put Devizes 7-0 up.

In spite of Westbury largely controlling territory and possession and being more adept at passing the ball, Devizes held on to their lead until half -time. The speed and elusiveness of centre, Mike Thomas, had represented the only threat to Westbury.

Although Westbury continued to outplay Devizes in the second half they were exposed several times by the weaving runs of Mike Thomas. One of these allowed Mike McCrum to break off and score.