JAMES Lye was hailed as the best left winger in the Screwfix Direct First Division by joint-boss Kelvin Highmore after his wonder goal gave Calne Town yet another win on the road.

The awayday specialists racked up their eighth win on enemy soil this term and remain firmly in the hunt for a top three finish just a year after being spared relegation by the league's management committee.

Lye's first half volley made it a happy return to Plain Ham for former Larkhall manager and Calne joint-boss Paul Rankin.

Highmore has been delighted with the wide man's contribution since signing from Corsham in August. He said: "I'm over the moon with him. That's 11 or 12 goals from midfield now and that's a great return.

"I think he could be the best left sided player in the league. He knows he has to work harder to get the ball sometimes, but I'm more than pleased with him."

Matt Peters, Andy Towers and Ben Moore all lined up against their former club in the colours of Calne and the high-flying away side edged the first half exchanges.

Matt Pratley headed a Glenn Armstrong cross just wide on two minutes, before goalkeeper Darryl Sims blocked James Riccio's lob at the other end.

Sims then saved brilliantly to deny Andy Gilbert and the decisive goal arrived nine minutes before the break.

Moore collected the ball on the halfway line and burst past the home left back before sending the ball across goal towards Lye.

The winger let the ball drop over his right shoulder before smashing an unstoppable volley into the corner of the Larkhall net from 20 yards out.

Larkhall enjoyed plenty of possession after the break but could not find a way past an impressive Calne back line, who kept their third clean sheet in a row.

The visitors looked lively on the break and Armstrong almost ended his seven match goal drought when he saw a shot scrambled off the Larkhall goalline with 15 minutes remaining.

Pratley had a golden chance to wrap up the points in the last minute after racing clear of the Larkhall defence but was denied by keeper Neil Butler .

Highmore was pleased after recording a league double over their Bath opponents. He said: "It was a tremendous goal, a great ball in by Ben Moore and excellent technique from James Lye to take it first time from 20 yards.

"In the first half we were better than them, but Larkhall pushed us back in the second half. But you would expect that. They are a half-decent side themselves. On possession they edged it, but on chances it might have ended up three or four-nil to us."

The Calne co-manager was happy with the performance of his back line, particularly with key man Darren Smart missing with an ankle injury.

He said: "We defended stoutly and Andy Towers was a different class on Saturday. They had the possession but not the chances and that is down to the back four. Darren Smart is our best defender but we decided to rest him because of his ankle and still got the result."

Calne are without a game on Saturday, but travel to troubled Street on Tuesday night, kick off 7.30pm. Highmore will travel to Somerset to watch his side's next opponents take on Corsham Town on Saturday.

He said: "The lads believe they can win any game and we are hanging in there. We're not getting carried away with our position in the league. We want to stay in the top six and, if we finish third at the end of the season, then great. There are 24 points still to play for and you never know what might happen in football."

Calne have submitted seven days of approach for Devizes defender Jamie Butler, the left back who only left Bremhill View for Nursteed Road in January.