CORSHAM were scuppered by injuries as they slid out of the Powergen Junior Vase, going down 52-6 at home to Oldfield Old Boys.

The Wiltshire outfit first lost RAF flyer Steve McLernon, the winger breaking a collarbone in a tackle.

The Bristol and RAF 200m runner played on but suffered another knock and is expected to be out for some weeks.

Substitute Andy Archer, returning to the ranks after a month out with a rib cartilage injury, lasted just 10 minutes and, after two impressive runs from full-back, was forced off with a shoulder ligament injury.

Captain-for-the-day Tony Iacono left the field shortly afterwards with a knee injury, to compound Corsham's misery.

Despite the scoreline, the game had started brightly for the home side as a revitalised pack made inroads into Oldfield territory.

Denz Brockhurst slotted an early penalty to give Corsham the lead.

After Oldfield had responded with a converted try, Brockhurst cut the deficit to 7-6 with a second penalty.

There was little to choose between the sides in the first quarter, but once the higher-league Bath outfit, leaders of the Somerset Premier Division and unbeaten so far this season, got into their stride, Corsham found themselves fighting a losing battle.

Corsham's good work was often undermined by mistakes in the final phase, while Oldfield's enterprise saw them cut loose in the second half.

The home side's injury count did not help their cause in the second half, and Oldfield eventually galloped away to a comfortable victory, fly-half Joel Hawkins (2), skipper Andy Boyce, prop Shaun Jones, Andy Owen and Lee Sumsion among their try-scorers.