SALISBURY crashed out of the Dorset & Wilts Cup at the quarter-final stage by just four points at Wimborne on Sunday.

In a game of different styles and changing fortunes, Wim-borne attacked almost solely through their forwards.

With the lighter pack, Salis-bury used their three-quarters to wear down their heavyweight opponents and, but for a dropped pass and an unlucky conversion attempt, nearly pulled it off.

The opening exchanges, particularly up front, were fierce and Wimborne drew first blood when a bulldozing run from their number five gained an unconverted try.

Salisbury fought their way into Wimborne's 22 and secur-ed a scrum. Marcus Olsen darted on the blind side before winger Martin Westall jinked and weaved his way to the line. The try went unconverted, but Dave Bell soon made amends with a sweetly struck penalty to put Salisbury 8-5 ahead.

Wimborne closed the game down for the rest of the half and again relied on their massive second row to trundle in for a second score.

For the first 20 minutes of the second half Wimborne's pack drove Salisbury deep into defence and inevitably the tries arrived - first from their full back, and then from a counter attack by their right wing whose speed took him through three tackles to score.

A series of Olsen-inspired quick penalties took Salisbury to a line-out on Wimborne's ten-yard line. Simon Sheldon caught and the forwards closed in to give a text book demonstration of how correct body angles can drive a heavier pack backwards before Olsen was rewarded for his un-flagging efforts with the touch down.

Bell's usually immaculate kicking was off key and the extra points went begging.

But from the re-start captain Don Parsons caught deep in his 22 and attacked at speed. The ball went down the line and Sean Scaife stepped inside his man to run to the half way line before feeding full-back Pete Upton. He outpaced the covering tacklers to score but again the conversion was missed.

Now Wimborne's pack was tiring and Salisbury's backs attack-ed relentlessly. But the final pass always went astray and the elusive winning try went begging as the final whistle ended Salis-bury's cup dreams.