DEVIZES got back to winning ways in the GoCrea8 League Conference North with a well-earned 1-0 victory over county rivals West Wilts.

This fixture usually produces a thrilling encounter and again it did not disappoint, with the game hanging in the balance for 60 minutes.

Both sides missed opportunities in the first half but the home team restructured in the second period and slowly dominated the majority of the play.

Devizes’ perseverance finally paid off when Jacob Stoner found a way past the visiting keeper with a reverse-stick scoop that trickled over the line.

Efforts from Ollie Smith and Roger Edwards were smartly saved.

Meanwhile, Chippenham slipped to a third successive defeat against league leaders Penarth.

Having not played for two weeks, Chippenham started the slower of the two sides and were behind when goalkeeper Leo Barker was wrong-footed.

Chippenham rallied, resulting in a short corner, which James Glover coolly dispatched into the bottom corner.

Penarth’s quality in the middle of the park showed as they scored from a short corner but Chippenham continued to work hard and were rewarded when the ball fell to Ben Pitman-Jones, who fired a shot into the bottom corner, Tim Elliott getting the slightest of touches to steal the glory.

Penarth scored a third before half-time and in the second period, their aerial threat began to punish Chippenham.

The hosts rose to the challenge and managed to score two more goals through Craig Kilminster and James Grantham, but Penarth also took their chances to wrap up an 8-4 victory.

Chippenham A slipped off the pace in Central Two with a winless return from two matches.

On Saturday, they were beaten 3-1 by mid-table South Glos before being held to a 2-2 draw by Bristol UWE A on Sunday.

Josh Burrows scored a hat-trick for Chippenham’s B team in an entertaining 7-3 East Central One defeat to City of Bath C.

In East Central Two, Chippenham C dropped a further three points at home against a well-organised North Wilts A side.

The visitors opened strongly and threatened down both flanks, with Charley Holtom being called in to action at close range.

Chippenham often gave away possession easily, taking the ball in to contact in midfield and failing to pass the ball quickly, allowing North Wilts to dominate the middle of the park.

The hosts’ chances were limited, other than on the break, until late in the first half when a couple of short corners were kept out by the visiting keeper.

In the second half, North Wilts came out of the blocks quickly and a cross from their right found their centre forward in front of the Chippenham defence to flick the ball home at the near post.

With Rick Law and Ron Ousby working tirelessly, Chippenham started to move forward and pressed North Wilts hard for the equaliser, but the away side held on for victory.