RUGBY: Grove 18 Saliasbury 37 (Powergen South West Division Two (East). SALISBURY inched their way up the table with an impressive win away at Grove on Saturday, writes Stuart McArdell.

Salisbury were soon among the points. They kicked off and harried Grove into spilling the ball. Malcolm Ellis picked up and drove on until the home side, in disarray, put hands in the ruck and Dave Bell kicked the penalty in only the fourth minute of play.

Salisbury attacked from the re-start and gained a scrum on Groves' 22. The home side won the strike, but Marcus Olsen, giving a master-class in scrum half play, plucked the ball from his opposite number's hands and sprinted to touch down the cheekiest try of the season.

With relegation a certainty, Grove threw caution to the wind and attacked with gusto testing Salisbury's defence severely.

The line held, but two penalties for technical infringements brought the score to an uncomfortable 8-6 before Sean Scaife swooped on a loose ball and ran in a fine try for Bell to convert five minutes before the break.

However, moments later, a high and speculative kick from Groves' full back bounced off Pete Upton's chest and the full back hacked on to beat Shipsey to the touchdown. The try was converted and Salisbury went into half time only 15-13 up.

The visitors started the second half with Parsons making an open side break from a half way scrum. Olsen fed Perry on the blind and the stand-off slipped his tackler before giving the scoring pass to Scaife.

But Grove were far from finished and from a scum ten yards from Salisbury's line, flanker John Smart brought the home side to within two points.

Salisbury wobbled. They had been here before and lost matches, but Olsen set about winning the game himself.

At a scrum on Groves' 22. Olsen looked up, saw the slimmest of gaps and shimmied through to run in a morale-boosting try that Bell turned into seven points.

With confidence now restored, Salisbury rampaged into Groves' 22. Simon Hedges, in his final first team game, went over but the pass was forward.

Nick Taylor was held up and finally Olsen fed a charging Tony Gallagher on the blind side and the prop burst through to score by the corner flag.

Now Salisbury were in control and the sight of the young lock pairing of Ellis and Chadwick on the charge bodes well for next season.

But the final flourish came from the backs with a move that started on the right wing and finished with Tom Buckingham running in a try from left field to seal a superb team victory.

Salisbury's final league game of the season is at home to Dorchester on Saturday, April 12. Coinciding with a Vice Presidents lunch, this should provide an exciting finale to the season.