SCREWFIX DIRECT LEAGUE: CALNE Town moved out of the Screwfix Direct League First Division relegation zone with a crucial 4-2 victory at bottom club Warminster Town at Weymouth Street on Saturday.

Defeat would have seen the Bremhill View outfit sink to the foot of the table, but goals from Tim Jefferies, Lee Chalk, Mark Strickland and player-manager Paul Rankin ensured Calne picked up their first away points at the eighth time of asking this term.

Late strikes from Matt Carpenter and Jason Guy proved little more than consolation efforts for the hosts, who now find themselves four points adrift of Wellington at the bottom of the table.

Both sides showed early nerves in the opening stages of the relegation six-pointer, but it was Calne who made the vital breakthrough on 17 minutes when the hosts failed to clear a right-wing cross from Lee Curtis and Jeffries lashed the ball home from the edge of the area.

Warminster's best opening of the half came when Stuart Beggs headed over after a fine cross from Gareth Everson and they were made to pay when Calne scored twice in three second half minutes.

Debutant Chalk, on as a substitute for the injured Jamie Butler, swept home Nick Draycott's low free kick on 49 minutes and the hosts barely had time to recover before Strickland lobbed goalkeeper Lloyd Chamberlain from 30 yards to make it three seconds later.

The visitors made the points safe 17 minutes from time as Chalk capped a fine debut when he sent over a cross for Rankin to score with a diving header.

Carpenter then pulled a goal back for the home side when he scrambled home following a corner and Guy bagged Warminster's second following a fine solo run and shot from 18-yards in the final minute.

Calne manager Rankin was delighted to see his side end their dismal away run and register their first three-point haul since he took sole charge of the team last month.

He said: "Psychologically it was an important three points and a real six-pointer because Wellington lost as well, which moves us out of the bottom two for the first time in a while.

"I was immensely pleased with the players. We had five under 18s in the squad and that's the way it's going to have to be because of the difficulty of attracting players while we are at the bottom.

"The players really deserve it and their reaction at the end said everything. They deserve their reward, although that only really lasts until the next game."

But Rankin was disappointed his side showed signs of complacency in allowing the hosts to score twice in the closing stages.

He said: "We've got to learn from that. If we'd have been two-up then we would only have drawn. We stopped concentrating and it just shows you can't let your guard slip at this level."

Rankin's opposite number Andy Crabtree said: "It wasn't very good. We were alright in the first half but 15 minutes into the second we were 4-0 down."

Warminster travel to Premier Division Elmore for a Les Phillips Cup tie on Saturday, while Calne entertain the First Division's new leaders Torrington.

Said Rankin: "They are top, score loads of goals and are very physical. Jeff Evans is no stranger to Wiltshire football and it will definitely be a tough game."